Mirror's Edge: Aftermath
by smithersaj1
Summary: Jacknife is dead, the true mastermind has been revealed and Kate is safe... for now. Teaming up with Lieutenant Miller, Faith and the Runners work to unravel the truth behind PK and their ties to Elaine Callaghan. What happened in Serdaristan? Who is Colton? And can PK ever truly be stopped?
1. What We Do Best

**A/N: Hello everyone! And welcome to the very first chapter of Mirror's Edge: Aftermath. Ever since I first played the game back in 2008 I've been wondering what happened next (let's face it, the ending was more than a tad ambiguous...) so decided it was time to try and continue the story myself. I've got the whole thing planned out in some detail, but this chapter will initially serve as a trial, so let me know what you think! Positive and negative comments are both appreciated (though nice things are obviously preferred!). Anyway, on with the story!**

* * *

 **Chapter One: What We Do Best**

So this is what the end feels like...

As he fell from the heavens Jacknife silently pondered oblivion. He was no longer screaming in terror, but merely waiting for the moment when darkness would consume him forever.

Having lived on the edge all his life, it almost came as a relief to have a little certainty for once.

The adrenaline coursed through his body, and Jacknife knew he was beyond the world now, more alive than anyone in his final seconds on the earth.

As the wind roared in his ears and sent his jacket flapping wildly, Jacknife kept his gaze on the darkened sky above. Smoke and fire belched from the peak of the Shard, drawing further away as he continued in freefall.

Taking a final breath Jacknife closed his eyes and waited.

He hit the ground and never felt a thing.

* * *

With a weary groan Miller pushed himself up from the plush carpeted floor, grabbing the side of a desk to heave himself into a standing position. Looking around the room, he counted four corpses and all of them were PK officers.

Suddenly hit by a blinding pain Miller brought a hand to his temple and felt something warm and sticky. Pulling his hand away he saw it was covered with blood.

Still dazed and uncertain what was happening he collapsed into a nearby chair, inspecting his wound in the reflection of a computer monitor. Sure enough, there was a nasty looking gash along the side of his head, which meant one of the PK bastards must have squeezed off a shot less than a second before he could take them down. Oh well, he figured he should be thankful that it was only a graze.

A little more lucid now, Miller looked around for his twin pistols and spied them on the floor, next to the small pool of his own blood which was promptly seeping into the blue carpet. Picking up and holstering both pistols he also found his ear bud and slipped it back into place.

As recent memories continued to flood his weary mind, Miller's thoughts immediately focused on one person in particular.

"Kate!"

Faith had been heading up to the server room when he lost contact, and Miller hoped desperately that she'd been able to make it to her sister in time.

"Faith, are you there? It's Miller!" he shouted with a finger to the bud. No response.

Taking it out he checked the thing was still active before putting it back in his ear and trying again.

"Faith, do you read me?"

There was only static on the other end of the line, and Miller found himself beginning to tremble.

Swallowing thickly, he forced himself to continue.

"Come in, Faith!"

An orange glow from the window caught his attention and Miller hurried over to see what was happening. As he pressed himself against the cool glass and craned his neck upwards he saw billowing smoke and dancing flames high above.

 _Oh shit, Faith._

A jagged piece of metal tumbled down from the heavens and fell past the window, startling Miller and sending him tumbling backwards. He steadied himself once more on the table as he tried again to make contact.

"Faith!"

* * *

Taking her sister's sweating hand, Faith did what she'd always done best. She ran.

PK units could be heard nearby barking frantic orders, but no shots were ringing out which hopefully meant they were still trying to get a fix on the location of the fugitive sisters. The burning helicopter probably provided something of a distraction as well.

 _"-you hear me? Faith!"_

Faith was startled by the familiar voice ringing out inside her head but did not falter in her movement as she replied.

"Miller, you're alive!" Faith replied breathlessly.

 _"Faith, thank God. Is Kate with you?"_

"She's okay," Faith assured the lieutenant as she continued her sprint across the rooftop, eyes locked on a red door up ahead.

 _"Oh yes, I can see you now."_

There must have been a CCTV camera nearby but Faith wasn't exactly going to waste time looking for it.

The pair reached the door and Faith swung a fist to knock it down, barely losing a shred of momentum as she did so.

What lay beyond was a dimly lit stairwell that seemed to wind all the way down to the base of the Shard.

 _"Head to the 97th floor and take the lift down to the car park,"_ Miller instructed. _"I've locked it down so no-one else will be able to call that lift. I've got to go now, Faith, but I'll meet you downstairs."_ With that the line fell silent again.

Faith and Kate hurried down the stairs, the younger sibling able to keep pace with her Runner sister. Even cops had to run, Faith supposed.

As they arrived at the 98th floor the steel fire door burst open and a PK officer charged at them, assault rifle primed to fire.

Faith seized the barrel of the weapon with her left hand and shoved it aside, throwing a punch with her right that connected with the side of the man's head and fractured his visor.

He staggered back and Faith leapt at the side wall, springing off and swinging her leg around in a vicious kick that connected once more with his head, shattering the visor completely and sending the guy to the ground. Hard.

"Faith," Kate said quietly upon seeing that display of brutality, and the Runner met her sister with a determined stare.

"Let's go, Kate," Faith said, reaching once more to take her sister's hand.

Kate pulled her hand away and shook her head.

"It's okay, Faith. Lead the way."

With a curt, respectful nod, Faith broke into a sprint once more, heading down to the 97th floor and bursting through into a desolate office. It was the middle of the night so aside from guards, cleaners and PK there wasn't going to be anyone around.

A cursory glance around was all Faith needed to spy the lifts at the far left end of the room. She kept moving towards them, vaulting over a red sofa to save time and preserve precious momentum.

Arriving at the lifts she pressed the call button and turned to see Kate arriving just behind her. The younger girl was looking a bit worse for wear but her eyes flashed with determination and she had so far managed to keep pace. Even so, Kate didn't know how to evade the authorities like Faith did, and the Runner knew she'd have to get her little sister trained fast if there was any hope she'd survive.

The lift doors opened with a ping and the duo stepped inside, Faith hitting the button for Lower Ground.

The doors casually slid shut as though they failed to understand the urgency of the situation, and the lift began its descent.

"Faith..." Kate began, her eyes fixed on the metal floor of the lift. "Thank you for coming."

"Always," Faith vowed, surprising her sister with a tight hug which Kate slowly reciprocated.

They remained in the comfortable embrace a few seconds longer before Faith pulled away as she sensed the lift beginning to slow.

The doors pinged open and they came face to face with a man in a dazzling white three-piece suit with combed white hair, his twin pistols pointed right at them.

"You made it," Miller sighed with relief as he lowered both pistols. "My car is over here."

Letting the lieutenant lead the way, the trio wound around support pillars and parked cars, keeping a low profile in case any PKs were nearby.

Faith spied a security van on the left, riddled with bullets from her previous escapade, and couldn't help but smirk outwardly. A dead PK also lay nearby and the smirk dropped, Faith recalling clearly the moment she'd pumped half a dozen rounds into him.

 _He had it coming_ , she tried to tell herself.

Coming up to a brick wall Miller pressed himself against it and peered around the corner.

"Shit!" he said in a harsh whsiper. "There's two of them guarding my car." Pulling back from the corner he scratched his chin in thought before his eyes settled on Kate and he handed her a pistol.

"Kate, I don't think I can get them both by myself. I'll head around the other way and take the one on the right. When you hear the shot, take the one on the left."

"Yes, sir," Kate obliged with a stern nod, pulling back the hammer. In a sense Faith was relieved to see her sister in control after Jacknife had left her so powerless, but at the same time, the cold efficiency with which she handled the pistol left Faith with a lump in her throat.

 _Maybe I don't want you to be more like a Runner, after all,_ she thought.

Miller disappeared around the other side of the brick structure, almost vanishing against its brilliant white surface.

Kate peered out and saw the two officers talking to each other next to the car, shotguns pointed down at the ground in a relaxed manner.

Moments passed and Kate's grip on the gun tightened as anticipation blossomed in her chest.

Eventually the gunshot rang out and the officer on the right slumped with a spray of blood. Before the second officer could even respond Kate squeezed off a shot and hit him right in the head.

Hurrying over to the car, all the while checking to make sure their gunfire hadn't attracted any unwanted attention, the two sisters were quickly reunited with Miller.

"Good work, Kate," he praised, before fishing about for his key fob in his front jacket pocket. Pulling it out he unlocked the car with a soft click.

"Get in the back," he instructed, and Faith and Kate were quick to comply. Miller drove a luxury saloon with heavily tinted windows so hopefully he could smuggle the sisters out unnoticed.

Turning on the engine, Miller reversed out of the bay and shot forward towards the exit ramp, his tyres squealing and belching up smoke.

"Stay quiet," he instructed as he slowed for the security barrier, flashing his ID to the bored-looking guard with the unshaven jowels and dire comb-over.

Upon seeing Miller the guard's eyes widened with alarm and he shook his head furiously, jowels quivering as he did so.

"I'm under strict orders not to let you leave, lieutenant," he insisted. To be honest, Faith was sure he sounded just a little bit apologetic.

"Very well," Miller sighed, calmly raising his window before turning to the guests in the back seat.

"Hang on."

With that he sped forward and smashed the barrier, racing out onto the street beyond.

The Central Business District was always desolate at night so there were no witnesses to their dramatic exit. Of course, journalists and news crews would be flooding the streets soon enough, what with the entire top of the Shard having been set ablaze.

Miller swerved from the main road into a poorly-lit side street where they could be masked by shadow.

"Where to now?" he enquired from the front, casting a brief glance at Faith in the rear-view mirror while his hands held tightly to the wheel.

"I know you Runners have safe houses everywhere."

Faith only had to think for a moment before she spoke up.

"Take us to Lombardy Avenue station; we'll meet up with Kreeg."

"And am I to assume we can trust this Kreeg?" Miller scrutinised.

"If you're willing to trust me, then you can trust him," Faith replied in a slightly aggressive tone. Miller gave a light grunt of approval before falling silent.

They came to another junction and he took a sharp right onto another main road. A few people could be seen walking past, and Faith recognised that they were now on the edge of what could be considered the entertainment district, with a few pubs and bars buzzing with activity. Most of the people were going about their business- that businesses being to stagger drunkenly towards their destinations- but some were hurrying towards the Shard. _Probably to gawk and take pictures,_ Faith pondered bitterly.

Another left and they soon arrived at the station, Miller parking his car in a tight alleyway at the side of the main building.

"I'm not going to be seeing this again, am I?" he said despondently as they exited.

"Afraid not," Faith snapped as she led the way to a side door in the alley marked _Authorised_ _Personnel Only._

 _We'll see about that,_ Faith thought as she knocked down the door with a firm kick.

"Stay close," she ordered, meeting Kate and Miller with stern gazes. They'd both done their jobs, and now it was Faith's turn to get them to Kreeg safe and sound.

The maintenance hallway was thankfully deserted, save for the neon lights buzzing overhead and the red pipes rattling in the walls. A rat scurried out in front of them and Kate suppressed a squeal, Faith only shaking her head.

They came to a stop next to a set of shelves filled with disused paint cans and a single rusted power drill, and Faith nodded pointedly.

"So what now?" Miller grumbled, casting a glance behind them to make sure no-one was following.

"Into the rafters," she explained, before gracefully scaling the shelves and pushing up an acoustic ceiling tile. She then disappeared into the darkness and called for her allies to follow. Kate moved lithely and managed the climb on her own, but Miller was a tad more cumbersome and Faith had to pull him up the last few feet.

"Thank you," he said quietly as he dusted down his suit. The ceiling space was wide enough for them to all stand abreast of each other, and high enough for Kate and Faith to stand. The considerably taller Miller could almost stand, walking with only the slightest stoop.

The tiles sagged underfoot and Faith kept the trio moving swiftly, not wanting anyone to fall through unceremoniously.

The ceiling space wound around to the left where they came face to face with a concrete wall, its surface obscured only by a small vent in the bottom left corner.

"This'll take us to the maintenance corridor," Faith explained as she knelt to enter the tight space. "Be careful."

With that she dropped down and a metallic thump could be heard less than a second later. Miller nodded for Kate to move next and he took up the rear, struggling to fit his frame through the square vent entrance.

Eventually he succeeded and dropped straight down about ten feet, landing with a heavy thud at the darkened base of the shaft.

Lowering himself into a crouch, Miller continued to press forward along the narrow space– thank goodness he wasn't claustrophobic– as he caught a vague glimpse of Kate's slender form up ahead.

"Everyone okay?" Faith whispered through the darkness, her voice carrying ever so slightly.

"Yeah," Kate assured her, and Miller only grunted in mild annoyance.

As they pressed ahead, moving on hands and knees, a faint light began to reveal itself at the end of the duct, shining upwards from the base.

"We'll have to drop again," Faith announced as she fell into the light, promptly followed by a rattling sound. Kate was next to disappear through the vent exit, and Miller was last, landing on a blue metal gantry directly beneath, his legs buckling slightly under the impact. As he straightened himself Miller looked around the utilitarian hallway in which they had found themselves, noting closed doors at either end.

"Not far now," Faith informed the others as she began to straddle the railing. The gantry was suspended an indeterminate distance above the floor, running next to the steeply sloping wall with reflective metal plating. "There's another vent at the bottom; that'll take us right to them."

Faith climbed over the railing and jumped, landing on the wall and sliding smoothly into the darkness below.

Kate was next, moving quickly as though eager to prove she could keep up with her sister. That left Miller alone on the gantry, and after another weary sigh he followed, not enjoying the slide down the wall. However, he was relieved when his feet met sturdy concrete in the shadow-covered valley at the bottom, as it gave him a sense of mild reassurance.

Reorienting himself, Miller caught sight of Kate vanishing into another vent at ground level.

Mercifully, this vent was only a few feet long and led the trio into a small, warmly lit room. As Miller crawled out onto the dusty concrete floor, Kate helped him to his feet and he smiled appreciatively. Looking around, he was suddenly met by a tall, muscular man with a hard expression on his angular face, a gun firmly levelled at Miller's head from across the room.

"Drake! No!" Faith shouted, stepping between the cop and the Runner with her hands held up in a gesture of appeasement. "He helped us back at the Shard; he's a friend. Okay?"

"He's CPF," the man named Drake growled. "He couldn't be less of a friend, Faith, so get out of the way."

"I can't do that, Drake," Faith retorted with a shake of her head. "If you shoot him does that mean you'll shoot Kate too?"

"Kate's your family," Drake asserted, lowering the gun ever so slightly. "I'm willing to make that exception for your sake, but this guy is a step too far."

Miller had remained silent the entire time, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He'd initially debated drawing his own weapons, but in an enclosed space surrounded by innocents that wouldn't end well for anyone. Instead, he forced himself to be patient and put his trust in Faith to defend his case.

"Drake, I think you should take it easy." A dark-skinned man in a bright orange sports top spoke up, having been standing quietly in the corner of the room as the drama unfolded. "We're not getting anywhere here," he told his friend, stepping forward to place a gentle hand on the other man's gun. "If we all drop the guns then we can work this out with words, and I'd say that's a damn sight better."

"He's right," Faith agreed, meeting the dark man with a respectful nod.

Drake turned to silently address his friend, the tension still etched onto his face, and slowly he forced himself to relax.

"Fine," he conceded, handing over the gun.

"Miller, give me the pistols," Faith spoke up, returning her attention to the lieutenant. With a single, almost imperceptible nod, Miller slowly removed both weapons from their holsters and passed them to the Runner, grips first. Faith took them and along with the dark man, set them down on a steel table pressed up against the far wall.

"Don't think you're in the clear yet," Drake added, jabbing a muscular finger towards Miller.

"I wouldn't expect to be," Miller shrugged.

"Alright then," Drake nodded. "We may as well get straight down to business." He looked directly at Faith, the tiniest glimpse of vulnerability breaking through his tough exterior.

"I'm glad you're both okay," he said. "PK are on a rampage, and we haven't been able to make contact with Merc yet."

At the mention of that name Faith's chest tightened like a vice and tears immediately started to burn her eyes. Ever since Merc's death she'd been running on adrenaline, racing against time to save her sister and evade capture. But now there was a dreaded respite, and she couldn't run from the truth any more. Her whole body started to tremble as she prepared to utter the words she'd never even wanted to contemplate. Looking up at the man across the room, Faith swallowed thickly as she readied herself.

"Drake," she began. "Merc's dead."


	2. Old Allies

**A/N: Hello everyone! My apologies for the massive period of inactivity since my first (and only) post to this story. I've been very busy but it's exciting to finally get this moving again; I can't wait to tell the story I've got planned. Feel free to favourite or leave a review as it certainly helps to keep me motivated. Anyway, enjoy the chapter! :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Old Allies**

"Damn it!" Drake roared, slamming his fist into the concrete wall and shaking his head despondently.

"Aw, man," Kreeg said, his words muffled as he covered his mouth with a hand, turning to look away from the rest of the group.

Faith remained rooted to the spot, hands clenched into white fists at her sides, shoulders convulsing as she stared vacantly at the dull ground.

"Faith," Kate began slowly, "I had no idea. I'm so sorry."

She began to gently rub her sister's back, moving in close to take the older woman's hand in her own. Slowly, Faith forced herself to calm down and relaxed her muscles, unclenching her fists and looking up to meet Kate with bleary eyes.

"Thank you," she croaked with a shaky smile.

Miller observed this tender display of affection from a respectful distance, feeling entirely uncomfortable surrounded by mourners when the news of Mercury's death meant nothing to him. Still, he could understand in theory the bond between the Runners; there was an unflinching trust shared between them, and a desire to protect each other. It was the same desire Miller felt to keep Kate safe.

"Okay," Drake breathed heavily. "We need to push forward."

He was focused again, eyes boring into Miller.

"What do you suggest, old man?"

Holding his ground and returning the hostile scowl, Miller replied.

"We need to keep pace with PK, and ideally remain a step ahead. Which means we need to find one of their number for a chat."

"Can you radio one of them, arrange a meet?" the dark man named Kreeg offered, slowly turning back to the group with a pained expression on his face.

Miller scoffed bitterly at the comment.

"Your intel clearly isn't as good as we think. After Faith and Kate, I'm pretty much public enemy number three. CCTV footage at the Shard has me killing seven PK officers, so no, I can't just give them a call."

"Well you better think of something," Drake demanded, jabbing a finger at Miller. "Or you're useless to us."

Despite his aggressive manner and harsh tone, Miller could see that all the colour had drained from Drake's face, and he appeared very tired all of a sudden.

"I do have a suggestion," Miller declared, resting his hands on his hips. "It is entirely possible to trap a PK, especially the pursuit cops since they only operate in twos."

Drake played the suggestion over in his head, eyes cast up towards the drab grey ceiling.

"Alright," he said at last, returning his gaze to Miller. "So what's our first move?"

"We need to collect intel on their routes and schedules. Then we pick our best target."

"I can do that," Kreeg announced, nodding thoughtfully and heading over to a laptop.

"No..." Faith interrupted, speaking for the first time since she'd revealed the truth. Her voice was strained, and Miller almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

"I can get the intel," she informed the group, looking up and pulling gently away from her fretting sister.

"How?" Drake demanded, cocking his head to one side.

"Celeste," she replied simply.

Drake's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Are you sure that's wise, Faith? Celeste ain't on our side any more."

"But she knows Project Icarus better than most," Faith defended, holding herself with a renewed confidence. Her features were set with grim determination, the same determination Miller had seen when he first encountered her at the Shard. And when Faith was driven to something, not even gravity could stop her.

"Okay, if you know what you're doing," Drake reluctantly conceded with a shake of his head. "Keep on the comms, though. We can't afford to have you dropping off the radar with PK on the prowl."

"Right." Faith gave a curt nod before turning to her sister, expression softening. "Kate, stay here until I get back, okay?" She placed both arms on Kate's slender shoulders, leaning in close, eyes wide with concern. "We'll see each other again soon, yeah?"

"Sure," Kate nodded with a light smile. "And Faith, take care."

Miller watched as the two sisters moved effortlessly into a tight embrace, remaining in their affectionate tableau a moment before parting.

Faith gave Kate another warm smile before shooting Miller a warning glance. She turned and marched towards the far wall, Kreeg dragging aside a steel table to reveal another vent cover in the far corner.

"Good luck, Faith," Kreeg offered as she swiftly disappeared into the darkness. After a few seconds the rattling of her footsteps in the metal duct faded to nothing, and the remaining four people stood grimly in the silent room.

"Lieutenant, there must be something we can do to help?"

Miller was so lost in his own thoughts that for a moment he didn't register Kate speaking to him.

"Hmm?" He tilted his head inquisitively.

"We can't just let her do all the work," Kate insisted, taking an assertive step closer to her supervisor.

"You're right," Miller agreed, spinning to the two Runners.

"You people have computers, right? Let us try and access the CPF database. That could be a start."

Drake glowered at Miller with muscular arms firmly crossed and legs spread wide. Miller observed him calmly for a moment before Drake slowly conceded.

"We'll get something set up," he announced, "but I'll be watching every move you make."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Miller sighed.

* * *

There was no doubt in Faith's mind that Celeste could access the information they sought, but she also had another reason for leaving the hideout so promptly.

The moment she broke the news of Merc's death it all became too real, and she needed to get away. Away from the pained expressions on the faces of her friends, away from Kate's nurturing, and away from the dark atmosphere which had descended upon them.

Running had always given her release, as a means of organising her chaotic thoughts and escaping the oppressive reality in which she dwelled. And as Faith sprinted across the rooftops under the cover of night, pumping her legs and driving her arms forward, she finally started to relax.

It was almost 2am, and most of the lights were off in the corporate and residential towers that she passed. A few garish advertisements still flickered away relentlessly, and the moon was reflecting off the smooth glass windows of neighbouring buildings, but for the most part Faith was masked by shadow. As she deftly vaulted a chain link fence the metallic rattle was so quiet it almost faded beneath the gentle rush of a warm breeze. Faith liked this time more than any other. During the day, the sounds of engines and horns in the streets below, and the boisterous clanging of construction equipment threatened to tear her away from the Flow, but now there was only an almost surreal tranquillity. And with the populace asleep in their beds, Faith could pretend that the deserted city was her own.

Coming to the sheer edge of the rooftop she readied herself for the jump, springing forwards and experiencing weightlessness for an instant before gravity took hold and she began to fall in a steady arc. As though struck by lightning, Faith suddenly gasped and began to flail, hitting the next rooftop in an unceremonious tumble of limbs. She grunted in pain as she staggered to her feet, and moved shakily to rest by a nearby air conditioner. Images of the Shard began to flood her mind, and Faith gripped her head in both hands as she started to panic. The helicopter... the jump... the explosion.

Kate.

Merc had always taught her to go with the Flow, to read the rooftops and find those pathways and conduits that other people would never see. Running had become so much a part of her identity, Faith was almost acting on instinct, and those pathways, they seemed to her to be a different colour to the rest of the world, so clear in her mind. She always knew when to jump, when to stop, and when to take the long way round. Even when she fell and broke her leg, the Flow had been telling her she could make the jump. It was carelessness that caused her to fail; a momentary blip or distraction. But when she leapt onto that helicopter at the Shard, with Jacknife spraying bullets at her, Faith couldn't see the Flow. Every instinct in her body was telling her to stop, and still she jumped, experiencing the overwhelming pull of gravity 800 metres above the ground, with nothing to break her fall. Whatever had compelled Faith to jump, it wasn't the Flow but something else entirely. Some sort of burning to desire to protect Kate. But the truth was, the jump wasn't exhilarating, it was terrifying. And Faith was afraid that she had lost her nerve.

What can I do about it? She desperately wondered, having never been faced with this dilemma before. Running was Faith's existence, her beating heart, and if she couldn't handle it, then she may as well be dead.

Rising slowly and with quivering legs, she eased herself to a standing position and glanced around the sprawling rooftop. Her tumble had not drawn any attention, which was to be expected, and the pathways were still there, beckoning her forward.

Let's take it slow, she thought, carefully putting one foot in front of the other until she was moving at a steady jog. She vaulted a nest of pipes and began to pick up the pace, her confidence returning. A slide and a climb later, and Faith was at the edge of the rooftop, ready to jump. She'd built up a good deal of momentum and could feel the Flow, the path ahead as clear as ever. In a surge of forward motion she leapt, eyes on the lip of the neighbouring roof.

There was that weightlessness and then the tug of gravity. Once more her body tensed, a rush of breath escaping her lungs, and visions of the inferno atop the Shard flashed before her eyes. Yet Faith steeled herself, coming down into a clumsy roll on the next rooftop. She'd lost most of the momentum, but it was an improvement. Even so, she couldn't be dealing with this if she honestly expected to face PK. Most likely she'd need to have a conversation with Kreeg or Drake at some point. Surely they'd faced the same struggle?

Five minutes of easy running later and Faith was right where she needed to be, standing in a leafy tropical garden atop a square residential building. She made herself comfortable on the lacquered wooden bench, right in the centre of the garden, with the sweet aromas of flowers meeting her on all sides. The garden was owned by some of the tenants, and very well tended, but it was the middle of the night, and as always it was deserted.

Celeste had once confided in Faith about this place, a little oasis of nature right in the middle of the City. She claimed it was her own personal night-time paradise, and as Faith took in the scenery, she had to agree. Sure, the ominous glass towers were still visible on all sides, but they didn't seem so bad amidst the vibrancy of the garden, all deep shades of blue, red, yellow and green.

Closing her eyes with a sigh, Faith listened to the soft rushing of the wind, letting it gently tousle her hair. Maybe she should find more time for moments like this, just being still.

Her relaxation was soon interrupted by the faint yet unmistakeable sound of approaching footsteps. Springing up from the bench, Faith turned to the sound and saw Celeste drop down from a neighbouring roof, landing with an artful roll. Before the other woman had a chance to see her, Faith ducked for cover behind the little structure that led to the stair-well.

Pressing herself firmly against the wall, Faith listened as those delicate foot falls drew nearer and nearer. The moment Celeste came past Faith leapt from her cover, throwing a right-handed punch that was levelled at the other woman's head. But Cel was as quick as Faith remembered, pivoting towards her and catching the blow in a gloved hand.

"Hey, Faith," she teased through gritted teeth. "Glad to see you made it out alive."

Her clothes were the same as on the boat, torn and charred from the explosion. There were cuts all across the left side of her face, but they weren't stopping her.

"Merc's dead because of you," Faith shouted, her voice breaking ever so slightly. She jerked her hand away and threw another punch, this time with her left hand, but Celeste managed to evade it with a hasty back-flip, coming up in a stand several feet away. Not wasting a second, Faith rushed her former friend and Celeste moved into a roundhouse kick. Sliding low, Faith dodged the kick and delivered one of her own to the other woman's crotch. Grunting in pain, Celeste staggered back a step and Faith was quick to push her advantage, throwing another punch that finally connected. Stumbling back into a heating duct, Celeste spat blood and met Faith with a venomous glare.

A tense and silent moment passed before the two women rushed each other, Faith jumping high in the same instant that Celeste slid low. They missed each other but before Faith could turn around a powerful force struck her in the back and she fell to the floor, just barely managing to roll away from another vicious kick. Coming up quickly, Faith raised both arms to block a flurry of jabs, wincing at the pain as she waited for an opening. Eventually she managed to side-step one of the blows, catching Celeste's fist and spinning her hip inwards towards the other woman. Bringing back her elbow, Faith delivered a heavy blow that connected squarely with Celeste's nose. Swearing and stumbling backwards, Celeste tentatively felt her nose and found blood. Glaring at Faith, she spun on her heel and took off towards the edge of the rooftop.

Terrified of losing the best and only lead they had, Faith broke into a sprint, not wanting to let Celeste out of her sight for even a second.

The blonde woman leapt gracefully from the edge, soaring through the air and catching a red drain pipe on the next building. She began sliding down just as Faith caught the same pipe, only a few feet between them.

The pipe came to a sudden end and Celeste swung in a wide arc, around the corner of the building and onto someone's private balcony. Stumbling around a bicycle she leapt over the side railing and broke into a wall-run, waiting until she reached the peak before turning and jumping onto the roof of the next building. Faith matched every move step for step, having spent enough time with Celeste to know all her tricks. She may have been keeping some big secrets, but she still couldn't evade Faith.

Springing from a storage box, both women cleared a crackling electric fence without breaking a sweat, surging towards the next gap. There was a glass covered stairwell on the building opposite, and Celeste jumped, shielding her face with both arms as she leapt through, the glass shattering into thousands of jagged pieces. Coming up in a roll, she took off down the corridor with Faith no more than four paces behind.

Surging around the next corner, they came to a red door which Celeste wasted no time in smashing through. Beyond was a narrow outdoor walkway, tracing a route along the side of the building. Following that to its end, Celeste vaulted the railing and jumped to the next building, while Faith performed a deft wallrun-jump.

Celeste landed on the roof, while Faith's shoes made contact with the top of an adjacent heating system. Running off the edge, her feet hit the small of Celeste's back and the other woman was thrown forcefully to the ground. Rolling Celeste onto her front, Faith grabbed her former friend's tattered collar roughly.

"You think you can run from what you've done?" she snapped, entire body trembling from anger and exertion.

"I'm done running," Celeste asserted, trying and failing to push the other woman away. "I just want to live, Faith."

"By killing Merc?!" Her grip on Celeste's collar tightened, and the blonde woman's azure blue eyes widened slightly in alarm.

"You know I didn't kill him," Celeste struggled to say. "PK would have found the hideout soon enough, I just saved them some time."

Faith was conscious that her eyes had started to burn with tears, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't mask them. Celeste wore an indifferent expression as she saw the grief etched across Faith's features.

"How can you look at yourself in the mirror?" Faith demanded, tightening the collar even further. Celeste wriggled uncomfortably in her grasp.

"I did what I had to do to survive, and so can you, Faith."

Faith was taken aback by the comment, and she knew Celeste could tell.

"You've made it this far, Faith. Turn yourself over to PK and they'll give you a new life, same as me." Her indifferent expression had wavered, and she was now showing just the tiniest shred of empathy. "I don't want to fight you, Faith," she asserted.

"And all I have to do is help them with their dirty work, yeah?" Faith spat. "All I have to do is betray and possibly kill my friends?"

"They're dead anyway," Celeste insisted again.

"What happened to you, Cel? You never used to be such a damn pessimist."

Celeste gave a light shrug, as much as she could manage from within Faith's grasp. "I decided that the gloss, however evil you think it is, was better than the reality."

Faith shook her head despondently, giving the other woman a contemptuous glare.

"You truly have given up," she growled. "But there's still something you can do for me."

"Oh yeah?" Celeste's eyebrows shot up and a playful smile crossed her full lips.

"I need intel on the routes of every member of Icarus," Faith announced calmly.

"Do you really believe I'd give you them?" Celeste replied with a scoff.

"You will," Faith assured her. "Because that's what you do now, you take the easy path. This was never about sharing PK's ideology, Cel. You work with them, not for them, and you'd work with me if the price was right."

"Oh please, I know you can't pay. You can't even afford new clothes," Celeste retorted with a dramatic roll of her eyes.

"No, but Miller can," Faith explained.

"Kate's supervisor? Hmm, I thought he was dead."

"Afraid not."

Faith applied a little more pressure and watched Celeste squirm, before the blonde woman finally relented.

"Okay, for two thousand dollars," she said.

"Deal."

Very slowly, Faith released her iron grip on Celeste's collar and stood up, taking a single step away from the other woman. She watched intently as Celeste climbed to her feet, poised for any sudden movements the former runner might try to make. All she did was calmly dust down the tattered uniform and rub her sore neck.

"You know the underpass next to Silvine Security's HQ? There's a green bin we can use to make the drop. Leave the money in the bin, and I'll deliver the pen drive."

"Half the money," Faith insisted, her expression severe. "And half when we verify the data."

"Very well," Celeste conceded with a curt nod. "Have it there by lunchtime tomorrow."

With that, Celeste turned on her heel and began to slowly jog away. Faith watched until she had disappeared around the side of a building, before releasing a weary sigh and pinching the bridge of her nose. Technically the mission had been a success, but all Faith could feel was a heavy anguish. Celeste had been one of her closest friends, and to face her on such hostile terms was a painful struggle.

Shaking her head, Faith willed herself to stay focused. She couldn't give in to despair when there was still work to be done.


	3. PK Knockout

**A/N: Hello and welcome to the third chapter of Mirror's Edge: Aftermath. Once again I have to apologise for the massive delay in posting this chapter, but thank you to those who've followed or favorited; I really appreciate the support. Hopefully you'll continue to enjoy reading this story, and hopefully the wait for chapter four won't be so long! Anyway, on with the chapter! :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Three: PK Knockout**

"This is what I expected," Miller announced grimly, his expression severe. "It seems PK have Priority One arrest warrants out on all three of us."

"Priority One?" Kate asked in a curious tone, leaning over his shoulder to get a better view of the computer screen.

"It's a PK euphemism for dead or alive," he explained. "Which means we're facing a worst-case scenario."

"Maybe you shouldn't have killed their officers, then," Drake growled from across the room. He was leaning against the wall with arms folded, eyes closed in thought.

"Don't second guess my decisions, Drake. If I hadn't turned on PK your friend Faith would be dead right now," he retorted, voice quiet yet harsh.

"Thank you, Miller," Kate responded meekly, giving her supervisor a light pat on the arm before growing flustered and taking an embarrassed step back.

"I trust Faith to handle herself," Drake snapped back, still not bothering to open his eyes.

"There's a difference between trust and stupidity, Drake. Sometimes people need a helping hand, even if they're too proud to admit it." He let that thought hang in the air and turned back to his work, typing furiously on the keyboard.

"Kate, you remember Ramirez, correct?" Miller asked after a couple of minutes silence.

"Of course, he..." Her face grew red and she rubbed the back of her neck meekly. "He asked me out a few months ago."

"Is that so?" Miller responded, an amused expression gracing his chiselled features. It was an unusual mask for him to wear, but one that put Kate just a little bit at ease. "I guess Harrison owes me ten dollars then."

Another moment passed before Kate fully processed the words.

"Wait, what?!" she blurted out, and Miller only chuckled, promptly setting the conversation back on course.

"So Ramirez has been in contact with me via a secret email account. Once PK started moving in on CPF turf, I figured I would need to put measures in place, for situations such as this."

"What's he saying?" Kate asked quickly, brown eyes wide with anticipation.

"He says that Arthur Pirandello himself has been at the precinct, rifling through my paperwork and interrogating all of my officers. So far he's found nothing credible, but apparently he's very driven to find me. And us."

"I never met Pirandello," Kate admitted.

"You wouldn't want to," Miller replied with a shake of his head. "The man's a brute."

"Isn't that a job requirement for PK?" Kreeg spoke up from across the room, a mischievous smile on his pleasant face. Kate smirked at the remark, and Drake made a disapproving noise.

"Shut up, Kreeg," he snapped.

"Anyway," Miller continued, "Pirandello has also brought more officers in to bolster CPF, which is obviously just a pretext for taking over. This is a slow invasion, and CPF can't do anything to stop it."

"Jacknife said something about bigger fish," Kate began, casting her eyes upwards as she recalled the fearful memory. "I think Callaghan is involved."

"The mayor!" Kreeg blurted out, incredulous. "I know the woman's a python but this... what the hell would she be doing with PK?"

"She wants control," Miller answered darkly. "Have PK oust the CPF, and she tightens her control over the city. Assuming Pirandello is under her thumb, there will be nothing left to stop her going after your benefactors."

Miller shot Kreeg a warning glance before turning to Drake, who had finally opened his eyes and now seemed more attentive than ever.

"To CPF your kind were an inconvenience, but to Callaghan and PK you're everything that's wrong with society. They will kill you unless we act fast."

"For once I agree with you, Old Man," Drake said, pushing himself away from the wall and strolling towards where Miller sat. He came to a stop when he was mere inches away from the police lieutenant. "But I'm in charge here, and you've got to remember that."

Miller gave an almost imperceptible nod, eyes blazing with a barely controlled rage. Kate swallowed thickly and Kreeg shifted uncomfortably in his chair, as though they could both sense that violence was about to erupt.

A distinct rattling noise to the left drew everyone's attention, the group spinning defensively towards the entrance vent. Kate breathed a sigh of relief when she caught a glimpse of her sister's bright red shoes, Faith crawling smoothly from the vent and rising to her feet.

"Hey, kid," Drake offered with a casual wave. "Any progress?"

"Celeste has agreed to give us the intel tomorrow," Faith reported.

"Nice work," Kreeg cheered approvingly, giving his friend an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

"Faith, are you okay?" Kate asked fretfully, moving to the front of the group and giving her sister a warm hug.

"I'm okay," Faith responded quietly, slowly returning the gesture. Kate's embrace seemed to make the world a bit brighter, but at the same time it was another emotional distraction she could do without.

After twenty seconds or so, both sisters stepped back and Miller cleared his throat loudly.

"Once we get this information, we'll target a Pursuit Cop unit on the fringes, one that's likely to go unnoticed. I imagine we'll need to take one member down then subdue the other and press him for information. Faith, I'll need you with me along with Kreeg or Drake. Kate, you'll need to remain here and monitor for emails from Ramirez."

Kate gave an obedient nod, and both Faith and Kreeg murmured their approval. Turning to Drake, Miller saw that the eldest Runner's face was contorted with rage, his angular features flushing red. Miller had once again taken command, and he felt no remorse for doing so. After all, he was the only person in the room who fully understood PK and the lengths they'd go to achieve their goals. Drake must have known this, for although his hateful gaze was boring directly into Miller, he stayed silent.

* * *

Celeste had delivered the pen drive as promised, and Faith had held up her end of the bargain, leaving the second bag of cash in the non-descript bin. Miller wasn't pleased about parting with two thousand dollars, but he kept his objections to a minimum, clearly understanding that his wealth would mean nothing if he was rotting in a prison... or worse.

The intel was good, and the CPF lieutenant had quickly identified a patrol route off the beaten track, where PK presence would be fairly limited. It was a new housing development by the docks, with rows of uniform skyscrapers climbing up into the heavens on all sides. There was also a new mall opening- because the City didn't have enough of those already- and a leisure centre with a glass domed roof. Faith silently observed the landmarks from atop a nearby office block, leaning over the edge of a maintenance gantry in front of a blazing sign for Raposa.

"Faith, can you hear me?" Miller's gravelly voice buzzed in her ear.

"Yeah, I can hear you?" she replied, examining her gloves.

"Two units, coming in from the east; you should have a visual on them any moment now."

Faith panned her steely gaze to the right and sure enough, between the skeletal frames of two new skyscrapers, she caught a glimpse of the black clad assassins, moving with a fearful mix of power and grace over the rooftops.

"I see them," she confirmed grimly, stretching both arms above her head.

"Good," Miller's raspy voice said in reply. "Kreeg is inside the Babylon Retail Centre, so you need to first attract the attention of the PKs, then lure them inside. Split them up so Kreeg can eliminate one as you and I apprehend the other."

"Alright then, Miller. Let's get this started."

"Good luck, Faith."

The words seemed to reassure Faith almost imperceptibly, and she wondered if perhaps she was warming towards the older police lieutenant. It was still too soon to tell.

With a final crick of her neck, Faith vaulted the railing and fell to the rooftop below, landing in a skillful roll and coming up quickly into a jog. She built up speed rapidly, sliding under a row of pipes and springing from a small skylight.

At the roof's edge was a metal pillar, a thick red cable running from its top and down to the roof of another building far across the empty street.

With an elegant bound, Faith left the roof behind and took the cable with both hands, sliding faster and faster downwards towards her next destination. Her leather gloves- those she could never do without- kept her hands feeling comfortable as she zipped along the cable, not really noticing the rising heat of friction.

And then the crucial moment arrived, as Faith passed in front of the patrolling officers, bold and defiant in her Runner garb. A fleeting instant passed before she heard the sounds of radios crackling, even above the rush of the wind.

Oh yeah, she thought, they've seen me.

The cable terminated, Faith releasing her grip and landing with a roll on the next rooftop. She kept moving, kept the momentum going, and it wasn't long before the sounds of rapid footsteps from behind reached her ears. It was a strange sensation, trying to lure the PKs. Every instinct was telling her to run faster, jump higher, in a desperate bid to evade them, and yet Faith knew she needed to remain within their sight, if the plan was to work. Leaping from the square roof she landed on a wide girder suspended from a nearby crane, sprinting along its length before leaping again, this time onto the gravel roof of the shopping centre. Almost there.

Up ahead a window in the skylight had been left open- or rather it had not yet been fitted- and she slid easily through, landing atop a scaffold that rattled precariously under the weight of her impact.

Faith kept running, along the wooden boards and over a stack of half-full paint cans. Below and to the left was a pedestrian walkway, where the upper tier of shops were to be located. Wall-running onto a vertical wooden board at the end of the scaffold, Faith turned and pounced, soaring through the air and landing on the walkway, before spinning on her heel and darting along, deep into the heart of the centre.

The footsteps behind her grew louder and louder, the PKs gaining with every precious moment. Kreeg would have been following her every move from afar, and would no doubt soon be in position. Faith just had to keep the Pursuit Cops in a state of distraction.

She ducked left into an empty shopping unit, vaulting a dusty workman's table and slipping between some taut plastic sheeting. As she burst out the far end of the unit, Faith discovered she was in a vast circular atrium, the path bisecting left and right along the curved edges of the grand space, with more paths going down at least three floors. Up ahead, the pillars of a lift shaft, with a glass walled lift resting part-way up.

Faith kept running, vaulting the railing directly ahead and soaring towards the lift. With less than a second to spare she turned her shoulder towards the glass structure, shielding her face and readying for the impact. The glass shattered as Faith's agile form and all her momentum collided with it, and she tumbled awkwardly into the lift itself, striking the far wall and causing the glass there to crack. Up above the first PK was vaulting the balony, so Faith scrambled to her feet, shards of glass cutting into her fingers, and smashed the second glass panel with a firm kick. She leapt out as the sound of a heavy impact resounded from directly behind her, and fell through the air towards another exposed shaft, landing with a roll on top of the second lift. She came up and leapt again, this time landing atop a small shopping unit at the base of the atrium. Sliding from its edge, Faith breathed a sigh of relief as her feet met the solid tiled floor at ground level. Not wasting any more time, she took off towards another narrow row of shopping units when she heard the sound of pained and angry grunts from behind. Slowing rapidly to a halt, Faith turned and saw Kreeg taking one of the PKs in a vicious bear tackle. The dark man's muscles rippled furiously beneath his shirt as he rammed their antagonist into a marble support pillar. Beneath his dark mask the PK swore in pain and seized the taser from his belt.

But Kreeg was fast. He pried the weapon from his enemy's grip and turned it quickly towards him, pulling the trigger and sending a flurry of volts into the man's mid-section, causing him to twitch spasmodically.

The second PK was rushing to help when Miller's dazzling form appeared from behind another pillar and he brought the butt of his gun to bear on the back of the man's head. His visor shattered into tiny pieces and he fell limply towards the tiled floor.

"Not as elegant as I would have hoped," Miller sighed, holstering his weapon. "But you did such a good job of leading them on a chase." He was panting slightly, and his face had flushed red with exertion.

"Hope I didn't make you work too hard, old man," she said with the faintest glimmer of a smirk. Miller only shook his head and directed his attention to the carnage before them.

"This guy probably has a concussion," he began, nodding towards the figure slumped at his feet, "so even if he's willing to talk he probably won't be much use to us. Best take the other guy."

With an affirmative nod, Kreeg hauled the second PK, still twitching slightly from the taser blast, onto his wide shoulders and signalled that he was ready to move.

"The van is round the back," Miller confirmed, turning to lead the way out.

The group mercifully didn't encounter anyone as they briskly made their way from the unfinished shopping centre towards the back alley where Kreeg's van, supplied by their fellow Runner Leaf, was parked. Flowers By Drake, read the elaborate blue font on the side of the vehicle, a sight that never failed to raise a smile on Faith's usually serious face. Leaf has always had a playful sense of humour, she thought.

Miller opened the back doors and Kreeg carefully set the limp PK on the floor inside, before Miller climbed in alongside him. Closing the doors, Kreeg made his way to the driver's side and Faith slipped in the passenger seat. The engine rattled into life and Kreeg pulled out onto the desolate main road, their prisoner in transit.

"You sure you can get what we need out of this guy?" Faith enquired, casting a stern glance at Miller in the rear-view mirror. He was sat on the small bench in the back of the van, hunched forward with hands clasped tightly together and heavy gaze fixed on the PK before him.

"I've done a few interrogations in my time," he said in a gravelly voice. "But I've no idea how PK are trained. It's likely this guy has been programmed not to crack under pressure."

"We need that information," Faith retorted simply.

"Don't tell me how to do my job." Miller shot her a warning look in the rear-view mirror, before returning his attention to the PK. "And I won't tell you how to do yours."

* * *

The group returned to Drake's hideout, Kreeg still hauling the unconscious PK on his shoulders, to find Drake and Kate waiting anxiously.

"Good job, guys," Drake said in a gruff yet pleasant tone as they emerged.

"You made it," Kate said meekly, offering her sister an affectionate smile as she wrung her hands together nervously.

"This guy is beginning to stir," Kreeg declared as he placed the PK in a folding plastic chair. Miller dragged another chair from across the room, its metal legs scraping across the concrete floor, and positioned it directly opposite the PK. Seating himself with a grunt, he prepared to address the rousing assassin.

"Any news?" Faith asked sternly as she made her way over to Drake and the computer.

"The other Runners are laying low across the City," Drake explained, running a hand down his unshaven face. "They should be okay for now."

Faith gave an approving nod at that remark.

"And I heard back from Ramirez," Kate spoke up, Miller swivelling in his chair to address her.

"Apparently Arthur Pirandello has organised for a team to search your apartment, lieutenant." Her voice was weak, almost apologetic. "And they're arresting CPF officers who shared close ties with you. Ramirez himself has taken sick leave and is staying with his brother."

"Damn it," Miller grumbled, shaking his head despairingly. "They're not wasting any time, are they?"

The PK moaned feebly and Miller turned back towards him, leaning close.

"And Faith," Kate resumed, gently taking her sister's slender wrist. "Drake received a message from someone trying to contact us."

"Who was it?" Faith furrowed her brow in confusion.

"It was Uncle Amos."

"Amos," Faith repeated with a quiet gasp.


	4. Family Ties

**A/N: Hooray! Another post only 5 days after the last one! Hopefully this makes up for the fact that I disappeared for months. Anyway, as I was writing this I had to decide what to do about _Catalyst_. Since I don't own a PS4 it's doubtful I'll ever play it and as such have chosen not to acknowledge it (aside from a few minor references). Besides, it's more of a reboot than a prequel so I don't think I need to worry too much about the details. So for those of you who play _Catalyst_ this story may now be considered AU. For example, Kruger is a completely different person in this story. There will also be some OCs from now on, with Amos being the main one. Enjoy the chapter! :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Family Ties**

Amos Connors filled his cup with cool water from the dispenser, before appreciatively taking a sip. It had been a stressful day and he was grateful for even the briefest respite. Pirandello/Kruger were needed now more than ever, what with the rampant corruption eating away at CPF. Someone needed to take charge if the City was to maintain order. Or at least that was the spiel Arthur Pirandello had rattled off time and time again, yet still Amos didn't believe it.

Looking around the office, a metal shipping container retrofitted to house a small number of administrative staff, he saw his colleagues in their crisp shirts and blouses, hunched over computers with tired eyes and knotted brows, consuming impossible amounts of rich black coffee. The overhead ceiling fans rattled with effort, but still the air was hot and heavy, aided not by the server stacks pumping more and more heat into the enclosed space. Amos wanted nothing more than to return home to his wife and take the dog for a pleasant stroll in the park. Not yet, he thought bitterly, before catching a glimpse of himself in the small window overlooking the cargo bay. He looked tired but his professional image was holding. The dark grey hair, close-cropped and neat, the blue eyes still with a degree of alertness, possibly even insightfulness. The white shirt was smooth and the navy blue tie was straight. Even amongst the chaos, Amos retained the image of a man who could be trusted, even liked by important men such as Arthur Pirandello and Kevin Kruger. And that was far more important than most people realised.

"Amos," Reinhold said pleasantly as he ambled over to the water cooler and filled his own cup. "Keeping busy?"

"Always," Amos grumbled in response. "The paperwork just keeps coming."

"I know what you mean," Reinhold chortled, gulping down the water. "Things are really heating up now, what with that CPF lieutenant on the run. I guess it falls to PK to clear up the mess, am I right?"

Amos smiled pleasantly in response, and cleared his throat.

"Hey, what about that Schonherr guy? I heard he disappeared a week ago." Amos was now trying to return to work yet Reinhold seemed intent on pressing him for a conversation. Reluctantly, not wanting to hurt feelings, Amos complied.

"I heard he'd become an alcoholic; I think Kruger put him on disciplinary."

"Hmm," Reinhold pondered, finishing the water and tossing the cup artfully into a nearby bin.

"Anyway, I should probably get back to work. Got some new shipments coming in for Icarus," he said apologetically.

"Those guys give me the creeps," Reinhold murmured, before walking away to converse with another colleague. Slowly, Amos returned to his desk and seated himself in the plush swivel chair. Discretely, he opened his personal email account in the hope that Faith or Kate would have responded.

In his past role as an internal investigator for PK, Amos had made friends and learned things, among them how to tap into what was then the fledging Runner email network, completely untraceable by the City's powers of surveillance. Once inside the network it was simply a matter of having his informant provide the email address of someone in direct contact with Faith.

Opening his account, Amos's heart skipped a beat as he saw a new message in his inbox. It was a reply from Drake.

 _How the hell did you get this address?! Faith is willing to meet on her terms, at the underpass by Persephone Boulevard at 9pm tonight. Don't keep her waiting!_

 _-Drake_

Quickly he closed the account and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. Contact had been established, and with perfect timing. Amos was about to blow the whistle on Pirandello/Kruger and he would need as much help as he could receive.

* * *

"Who is your supervisor?" Miller asked calmly, smoothly. He was far more composed than the slumped PK handcuffed to the chair opposite. The vicious runner's armour was in disarray and his black hair was matted to his perspiring forehead. Yet still he met Miller with a contemptuous glare.

"I heard what you did, Lieutenant," the PK goaded. "You betrayed the people assigned to protect you."

He flashed a set of narrow white teeth in an amused grin.

"You mean those thugs sent to keep me on a leash at the Shard. They had it coming."

"Pirandello doesn't seem to think so," the PK resumed, unfazed by Miller's words. "He's baying for your blood, and he'll soon have it."

"No-one knows we're here, if that's what you're implying." Miller leaned back in the chair and clasped both hands together behind his head, a gesture of relaxed confidence. This would be a long game, but luckily he knew exactly how to play.

"And even if your friends locate the building, they won't find us," Miller assured him, expression grave.

"You can't hide forever, lieutenant."

"You're nothing but a group of posturing thugs," Drake snapped from his location across the room. He was sat on the sofa with muscular arms crossed, his eyes wide and attentive, although Miller expected no less. After all, he was alone in a room with two people for which he held no trust. Then again, so was Miller.

"Runner scum," the PK hissed, thin lips curling into a snarl.

"Watch your mouth," Drake growled in reply.

"If we could return to business," Miller interrupted, keeping his tone level and his features relaxed. "Tell me, what is PK planning for the Runners?"

"To ruin them," the black-clad man teased. "And all of CPF, starting with you."

"How?" Miller pressed, not wanting to lose any time.

"Well," the PK scoffed, "you've already done most of the work. The Runners serve as an information network for political dissidents, fueling those who won't conform and who pose a threat to our society. Runners are the enemy of the people, and Mayor Callaghan will make that known."

"Am I supposed to be impressed by your name-dropping," Miller said, unclasping his hands and leaning a fraction closer to the PK. "I've suspected for a long time that Callaghan was involved. I bet she helped build that shiny new PK facility as well?"

"Among others," the PK smirked, and Miller returned the expression.

* * *

Elaine Callaghan was not pleased with her new office. Smaller, dimmer and further from the bathrooms, it also had a city view rather than a bay view. But her chief of security had insisted she move until a full structural analysis could be conducted on the upper levels of the Shard. Damn those Runners to hell, she thought fiercely as she organised stacks of papers across the polished mahogany desk. The intercom buzzed and the youthful voice of her assistant Marta, almost sickly in its enthusiasm, resonated through the speaker.

"Mayor Callaghan, Arthur Pirandello is here to see you."

"Send him in," she said briskly, before swiveling her chair to face the bay window. Surveying the sea of buildings that lay beyond, a world of glass and steel almost dazzling in its scale, Elaine Callaghan felt her plump red lips curl into a triumphant smirk. It was her city, and not for anyone else to take. Robert Pope may have valiantly tried, but he'd been dealt with. The Runners would also try- she had no doubt their kind would soon emerge once more from the shadows- but there were also countermeasures in store for that. Indeed, the City was her own, moulded in the image she'd created all those years ago, back on the committee pushing for the implementation of a safer, more secure society. This was the pinnacle of mankind's achievement, and it was her name that would be immortalised.

The door clicked open and Arthur Pirandello stepped assuredly inside, closing the door behind him.

"Arthur," Callaghan said, turning back to face the man and rising from her seat. He approached the desk and the pair shook hands, Callaghan with an elegant lightness and Pirandello with a precise firmness. Smoothing down his double-breasted steel-grey suit jacket, he comfortably seated himself across from the mayor. She took her own seat and placed both hands gently on the desk.

"You must be a busy man, Arthur," she began with a smile, piercing green eyes dancing with mischief. "You've a whole police force to overthrow."

Pirandello chuckled heartily, running a hand through his luxuriant mane of blonde hair, blue eyes shimmering gleefully. He flashed his perfect teeth in a broad grin before speaking.

"I suppose I do. But they won't go quietly, which is something of a shame. Too much damn stubbornness in the ranks, but they're outnumbered and outgunned. Soon every CPF officer will either be under the thumb of PK, or rotting in a prison cell."

"Pleasing to hear," Callaghan observed with a curt nod. "And what of those Runners who attacked the Shard? And-"

She searched her desk for a manila envelope, taking it lightly between two slender fingers and opening it carefully.

"Lieutenant John Miller?" She read aloud.

"Lieutenant Miller is currently flying under the radar, but everything is almost in place to incriminate him. Operation Cherry Blossom won't fail us."

"I have faith in your organisation, Pirandello," she assured him. The security contractor was a fine specimen of a man, tall and muscular with broad shoulders and chiseled, handsome features. He wore a light blonde stubble, greying at the chin which served only to accentuate his authority. If Callaghan could trust anyone to clean up this mess, it was Arthur Pirandello.

"Thank you, ma'am," Pirandello replied with an appreciative smile.

"And what about your other projects?" she continued in a more casual tone.

"Kruger's other projects," he corrected with a hint of bitterness. "Well, Pulse is very much in the experimental stages but I'm not expecting any major strides. And the new Icarus suits should be arriving today. Things are very hectic back at the office."

"I won't keep you much longer," Callaghan said. "But first, it has been brought to my attention that we've sustained some casualties."

"Indeed," he confirmed, expression surprisingly mournful.

"Agent Celeste Wilson perished in an explosion on one of the boats, and Agent Jacknife... well, he fell from the top of this very building. Sent over the edge by Faith Connors."

"She'll pay for what she's done," Callaghan vowed darkly.

"The score needs to be settled," Pirandello agreed. "Wilson and Jacknife were both promising young agents. It's such a shame they were struggling with the lies fed to them by the malicious Runner network. Both were immensely talented."

Callaghan offered a sympathetic expression, but the truth was, she simply didn't care as much as Pirandello. Yes, they may have been skilled agents but their deaths would not leave a mark on her soul. Especially not that repulsive Jacknife character, who spent far too long staring at her chest with that leering grin. Callaghan wondered if they'd scraped him off the pavement yet. She assumed so.

"Once Cherry Blossom is implemented, this will end in one efficient swipe." Her tone conveyed fierce determination and her eyes blazed with confidence.

"At last this city will reach its full potential," Pirandello said in response, before rising smoothly to his feet.

"I should return to the office now."

"Of course, thank you for coming." The pair once more shook hands, and then the powerful man turned and left the room. As the door clicked shut Callaghan was left in silence, alone with the anticipation of what was soon to come.

* * *

Arthur Pirandello strode with confident purpose along the sterile white hallways of the Icarus training facility, his mind set on conversations ahead. Mayor Callaghan's commitment to the plan was reassuring, even invigorating, but he still had the bull-headed Kruger to contend with.

A pair of black-clad runners walked past in the opposite direction, faces obscured by their dark masks. One of them nodded curtly towards Pirandello and he returned the gesture, before continuing on his way.

The state-funded complex beneath PK's public headquarters was a formidable, dizzying place with myriad intersecting passageways seemingly designed to bewilder even those who had worked there since the beginning.

Taking a left followed by a sharp right Pirandello stepped through a pair of metal doors as they slid obediently aside. He was in the interrogation wing, heavy footsteps echoing dully on the white tiled floor. To his left and right were wide windows overlooking dimly lit rooms, and in the centre of each room sat a chair beneath an intense spotlight. One such chair was overturned and splattered with blood, the cleaner having failed in his duty in spite of Pirandello's request to have the place tidied up. His features contorted in a mask of disgust as he recalled the way Kruger had gleefully laid into that Mark Schonherr guy. Pirandello wasn't entirely sure what Schonherr's crime had been, but Kruger in his vicious arrogance had insisted the former PK employee was a threat to the City, taking sadistic pleasure in beating him into unconsciousness. After that he'd been bundled into the back of a van, driven beyond the city limits and had his Citizenship Card confiscated. Such a punishment was harsh by any standard, as those who had been banished usually lost all contact with family and friends. But there was another consequence that dissidents had to face. For although the world beyond the City could not be described as savage, many people struggled deeply with the lack of government supervision. They could not comprehend how so many others were allowed to roam freely without shepherds to guide them. That's the price of peace, Pirandello thought with an easy smile.

He came to a maintenance lift and stepped inside, the grey doors rattling shut behind him. Thumbing the button marked DOWN, Pirandello took a deep breath and leaned against the cool metal wall of the lift as it began its descent.

Ten level markers passed him by before the lift slowed to a stop and the doors opened onto a wide balcony overlooking the training area. Leaning against the balcony railing was the familiar form of Kruger in his tight black suit, black hair oiled precisely back.

"Kruger," Pirandello called reluctantly as he approached. Kruger was 39 years old, and shorter and considerably wider than Pirandello, with an aggressive posture.

"Arthur," he called back, casting only the briefest glimpse over his shoulder before returning his eyes to the view ahead. "Ready for the test?"

Pirandello joined him at the railing, meeting his business partner face to face.

"I choose to remain sceptical," he replied.

Kruger scoffed at the remark, beady green eyes glittering in annoyance beneath his heavy brows.

"Don't be so damn stubborn, Arthur," Kruger rasped, his heavy jowels quivering above his tight shirt collar. "Just wait until you see what they can do."

Reaching into his pocket, Kruger withdrew a slender phone and tapped a few buttons, before carefully returning the phone to his pocket.

"Wait for this," he said excitedly, nodding in the direction of the training grounds.

With a sigh, Pirandello looked out upon the training area, a massive storm drain fitted with slopes, climbs and ledges designed to mimic the landscape of the city. Cables and support beams ran in all directions, a spider's web criss-crossing the entire space.

From where they stood on the balcony, half-way to the bottom of the vast structure, Pirandello had a clear view of the action both above and below. After all, he wanted to know exactly how his money was being spent.

The pair watched in strained silence a moment longer, Pirandello listening to the sound of a gentle breeze as it moved throughout the training area, and savouring the warmth of the sun on his face. Shortly a pair of white-clad figures appeared from a door at the base of the storm drain, moving sleekly among the obstacles. They were a perfect coherent unit, each matching the other step for step as they made their way smoothly across the artificial landscape.

Several seconds later another duo emerged from the same door, these runners both clad in the comforting black of PK. They held themselves in the usual manner of Icarus subjects, radiating a vicious energy, and yet they were bulkier in appearance than the others. Pirandello noted that their armour was heavier and both wore extra metallic constructs on the forearms and thighs.

Furiously scanning the training area the pair quickly set their masked faces upon the two white runners moving amongst the angular structures.

Like predators in the wild they bounded into action with every vault, slide and climb designed to get them closer to their targets as quickly and effortlessly as possible.

Kruger tightened his grip on the railing, eyes wide in exhilaration, and even Pirandello had to admit the spectacle was impressive. Even if he had already determined the outcome.

The left of the two dark pursuers came to a metal step at the edge of a deep chasm, the two white runners fleeing on the other side. He kept moving forwward, evidently not wanting to lose a shred of momentum, and as his foot met the step there was a sharp mechanical hiss and he soared upwards and over the chasm.

Kruger was grinning broadly by this point, Pirandello making a point of keeping his expression blank. The last thing he wanted was to encourage his boisterous colleague.

The black runner descended in an arc, landing on the back of his white counterpart and knocking him forcefully to the ground. Rolling the white runner onto his back, the pursuer readied himself to throw a jab but was thrown backwards by a taser blast. He scrambled to his feet, now facing away from the white man, and spun aggressively, a telescopic rod extending from his arm as he did so. The rod struck the white man across the chest and a taser blast more powerful than any Pirandello had seen sent him flying from the platform and plummeting towards the base of the storm drain.

The second black runner landed with a roll, coming up into a standing position with legs spread wide. He faced off against the second white runner who was still recoiling from the defeat of his partner.

Crouching low, there was a loud hiss and the black runner shot forward, taking his target in a fearsome tackle and ramming him against a nearby wall. Pirandello could hear the white runner grunt from the impact, and he watched attentively as the black runner extended his taser and jabbed it into the other man's mid-section. He twitched violently before slumping to the ground at the black runner's feet.

All at once Kruger broke into a round of applause, his two upgraded assassins nodding curtly before jogging back the way they'd come. The test was over.

"I bet you've never seen anything like that, Arthur? Am I right?" Kruger asked, his tone carrying more than a hint of smugness. He had both eyebrows raised and his expression was one of amusement.

"You're right, Arthur," Pirandello conceded, and the fat man seemed to inflate with victorious pride. "I've never seen anything like that before, and I'm going to make sure I never see anything like it again."


	5. Driven

**A/N: Hello everyone! And here's another quick update for you! This won't always be the case but since I have a lot of free time at the moment then hopefully the chapters will arrive more frequently. This is quite a slow one with lots of talking so I apologise in advance if that's not your thing; there will be a lot more action in the next chapter. Anyway, enjoy! :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Five: Driven**

Amos turned his jacket collar up against the chilly night air, pacing on the spot to try and generate some much needed warmth. The underpass where he stood was not a desirable place to be hanging around even in the daytime, and every rustling branch and barking dog set him on edge.

Squinting into the darkness, Amos tried to make out any approaching figures but there were only the faint outlines of support pillars and beyond them, dormant tower blocks. If anyone were to ambush him now the veil of blackness would leave him utterly helpless.

"You've got some nerve, Amos," a familiar voice called out from behind. It was filled with a youthful energy and at the same time, a bitter harshness. The voice of someone who'd been forced to grow up too soon.

Spinning to try and pinpoint the source, Amos was met with more darkness. And then he saw them. The red shoes, white pants and black vest top emerged from the shadows, the athletic figure of Faith walking purposefully towards him. Her black hair was cut short and angular, her smooth face grim and marked with the symbol of the Runners, beneath her right eye.

Another figure was following close behind, with the same slender form and a softer, wearier expression gracing her exotic features. Her longer hair was tied into a neat ponytail and she had both arms folded tightly across her chest as she approached.

"Faith," Amos breathed in relief. "And Kate, it's good to see you again."

"We don't have time for this, Amos," Faith was quick to assert. "And we don't have time for you, either."

"Faith," Kate scorned in a muted tone, before offering their uncle an apologetic smile.

"You still came," Amos said.

"Intrigue," Faith replied simply. "That's the only reason we came at all."

"Very well," Amos conceded. "I'll try and make this quick. I know that PK have you in their crosshairs."

"Thanks in no small part to you," Faith growled, taking an aggressive step towards her uncle, hands balled tightly into fists.

"Faith, wait! We should at least hear what he has to say," Kate pleaded, resting a hand on her sister's shoulder and meeting her with a soft gaze. Faith only glared back, and Amos noted the almost imperceptible tightening of Kate's grip, and the flash of danger in her eyes. Slowly, Faith unclenched her fists and took a deep breath, and only then did Kate release her grip. Amos smiled lightly as he saw how strong she'd become.

"Alright then, Amos," Faith sighed. "You get five minutes."

"Thank you," he replied, offering Kate an appreciative nod. "To begin, there's something I need to clear up. I don't actually consider myself allied with PK."

"How can you say that?" Faith snapped, barely managing to control her rage. Her entire body was coiled to strike and yet she remained still. Evidently Kate's silent warning had carried some weight. "When mum and dad were standing up to the government you were working with PK, and when mum died-"

She wavered ever so slightly before forcing herself to continue.

"When mum died you were still working with PK. No time for dad or for us. Your own brother, Amos-"

"-I know, and I'm sorry, but this was all for the greater good."

His face was drawn, his entire body sagging with fatigue, as though he'd been having this same argument with himself for years.

"The greater good?" Faith snapped. "Who the hell do you think you are, to try and justify yourself to me?"

"I'm your uncle, Faith, and I want nothing more than to keep you girls safe."

"You don't care about us!" she shouted.

"I had to get close to PK, alright? I had to get them to trust me."

Kate stepped forward, slightly in front of her enraged sister so that she could address Amos better.

"I knew there was an explanation," she said. "That you wouldn't just abandon us."

"Thank you," he said in a heartfelt tone. "And I'll explain it all if you can just listen. Okay, Faith?"

"Your five minutes are running out," she scoffed, folding her lean arms defensively.

"Before the November Riots I could see that the newly formed PK were rising to power far too quickly, and being an investigative journalist I had to get to the root of the story. So I offered my services and helped PK sniff out their enemies."

"So you helped put innocent people in prison... or worse," Faith demanded, unflinching.

"I knew the cost would be great but I needed to earn their trust. You have to understand Faith, that nothing is more important than that."

"When lives are at stake you don't get to decide the cost, Amos!"

"Don't be so naive, Faith! If you knew what PK had done, back in Serdaristan, then you'd understand why I couldn't afford to take the righteous path."

"Serdaristan?" Kate enquired with a frown, eyes attentive and posture straight.

"Six months after I started working with PK I heard rumours about the atrocities they'd committed in Serdaristan, all in the name of national security. I knew that if I could find evidence of this I could bring them down before they grew too powerful."

"A little late for that," Faith remarked with a sneer.

"I noticed," Amos sighed, shaking his head dejectedly. "I've finally found the information I need, but I can't access it alone."

"You need our help?" Kate said eagerly.

"That's correct, and once we have the intel we can finally start dismantling the network of oppression PK and their benefactors, including Mayor Callaghan, have built since the Riots. The work that your parents started, Faith."

He offered her a pleading expression, and was sure she hesitated ever so slightly before the hostile mask returned.

"What do you want in exchange?" she demanded.

"Nothing," he insisted with a pitiful laugh. "Except to help the people important to me. And I know you need help now, more than ever."

Faith observed him warily for a moment before finally relenting.

"Okay," she said. "We'll consider helping you, but not before talking it over with Drake and Miller."

"I can give you a couple of days," Amos offered, "to do whatever you need. And you can reach me via the email address."

With a stern nod Faith spun and marched back into the darkness, Kate standing awkwardly as she struggled between following her sister or remaining with her estranged uncle.

Eventually she moved to give Amos a light hug, whispering "it's good to see you again" in his ear, before turning and hurrying after Faith.

Amos was suddenly alone in the darkness, and figured it was probably time to get back to his wife.

* * *

"Tell me, Randall, how are PK planning to stop the Runners?" Miller's tone was casual, and he sat comfortably in his chair with unwavering eyes on the Pursuit Cop.

"That's for you to find out soon enough," the PK named Randall teased. He had revealed his identity during a particularly genial part of their conversation, which meant he had unwittingly sacrificed a measure of control.

"Then why this escalation all of a sudden," Miller continued, not wanting to take the bait.

"You know why," Randall said, eyes flickering towards Drake who observed from above the rim of his coffee mug. "You're a threat to City security."

"But this has been going on for years, so why is PK mobilising now?"

Randall shrugged. "Maybe we want to take control before it's taken from us."

"Ah, you're scared of something?" Miller allowed a brief smile to grace his lips.

"I suppose we are," Randall admitted. "And I bet that scares the hell out of you."

"And why is that?" Miller chuckled.

"Because we're not distracted by our own hubris," Randall answered simply.

"True," Miller said. "So what is it that scares you."

"I think I'd be foolish to say, don't you?" He tilted his head inquisitively to one side.

"Then how about I shoot out one of your kneecaps? Would that help?"

"I thought we'd moved beyond the need for physical threats, lieutenant," Randall said with humour.

"Oh, I'm sure you have no fear of pain, but what about your career, hmm?" Miller's eyes flashed with a dangerous glee. "You wouldn't be able to run anymore, so how would you make ends meet? And what about the shame, eh? Imagine being the PK who was put out of action before the war even began."

Finally, after hours of interrogation, Randall shifted uncomfortably in his seat and winced ever so slightly. Miller was winning, but he knew not to rush things, even at this late stage in the game.

"Fine," Randall sighed, rolling his eyes as though revealing the information was a mere annoyance. "There is a man named Colton who is closing in on data harmful to PK and if he gets it, our hold on this city will weaken. Which is why we need to assume total control before that happens."

"And you think that when you have total control you won't be able to lose it?" Drake enquired gruffly from across the room. "That sounds like hubris to me."

"Whatever," Randall scoffed.

"Tell me more about Colton," Miller pressed.

"I know he was in the RP&A Building when Pope got whacked, but apart from that I don't know anything else," Randall said convincingly. "And you wouldn't be getting any more information out of me anyway, seeing as how you've just expended your greatest threat."

"I guess I'll have to cop to that," Miller sighed, rising slowly to his feet and smoothing down his white suit. "All that's left now is to ditch you somewhere out the way. Of course, we can't have you figuring out our current location."

"My lips are sealed," Randall smirked.

Miller gave a smirk of his own before throwing a punch that sent the PK rolling into unconsciousness.

* * *

Faith hesitated as her gaze fell upon the charred remains of Merc's old hideout, wispy dark trails of smoke still rising from the hollowed-out ventilation system.

"Are you ready?" Kate asked softly, placing a steady hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Yeah, sure," Faith said absently, swallowing thickly before moving across the rooftop towards what had once been home. Now though, seeing the place only brought sorrow.

Coming to the edge of the dome-shaped structure she began to effortlessly scale the warm metal panels, turning to offer her sister a hand but seeing that Kate was managing perfectly well on her own.

Celeste's remarks earlier in the week that Blues couldn't run for shit may have been accurate, but Kate was clearly the exception to that particular rule. Maybe Runner blood was in the family, although as Faith recalled how deftly she'd handled firearms during her many encounters with PK, she pondered if perhaps it was police blood in her veins. _What a pair we make_ , she thought, shaking her head in frustration as she slipped through the circular entrance at the top of the structure.

Landing inside with a gentle thud, Faith shuddered as she took in the sight of smashed computers and overturned furniture. Kreeg had come ahead to remove Merc's body, but the pool of his blood had stained the floor, and the sight of it caused her eyes to burn with tears. Her shoulders convulsed and she willed herself to remain strong. As Kate dropped through the opening, landing a little unsteadily on her feet, Faith turned and quickly wiped away the tears, before clearing her throat and getting down to business.

"Drake wants us to see if any of the data is recoverable, so check for hard drives and memory sticks that are either intact or only partially damaged."

"Right," Kate nodded obediently, and immediately began rooting through a pile of trashed electronics on the floor. After a few minutes of diligent searching the youngest Connors sibling spoke up again.

"You should really give Uncle Amos a chance," she pleaded.

"He left us," Faith retorted, refusing to meet her sister's gaze.

"He had a reason, Faith," Kate insisted, more assertive now. "He's been trying to help this city in his own way, and that meant cutting ties. But he's reaching out now, and we should be grateful for that."

"He's reaching out because he needs help."

"He needs help so that he can help us, and everyone."

Kate halted her work altogether and stood upright, forcing her sister to do the same. "Maybe being a Runner has taught you the danger of attachment, but it's better to suffer that pain than regret pushing your family away."

Faith sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You haven't changed," she said, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

"Never," Kate said proudly. "You'll always need someone to keep you grounded. Living on the mirror's edge, I think it's too easy for you to forget."

"I'm not the only one living on the edge," Faith replied, her tone almost playful. "You've become very good at not acting like a Blue."

"I had a good teacher," Kate said with a casual shrug. "What a pair we make."

Faith couldn't help but grin as she recalled her own thoughts on the matter only a few minutes earlier.

"Well," she continued, resting both hands on her slender hips. "There's nothing here of any use, though I can't say I'm surprised. Something tells me PK have experience doing this sort of thing."

"At least you got to come back and say goodbye," Kate offered.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

* * *

"Can you trust this Amos guy?" Miller enquired, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Yes, we can," Kate asserted quickly, before Faith had a chance to object. "He's been undercover in PK for years now, first to investigate their initial rise to power after the November Riots, and then to investigate an incident in Serdaristan."

"Serdaristan?" Miller cocked an eyebrow. "What was it?"

"Amos didn't say," Kate explained. "There wasn't time."

"I'm not happy about having _him_ around," Drake interrupted, nodding roughly in Miller's direction. "I'm even less happy about taking in a guy you haven't seen in years."

"I'm not happy about it either," Faith said, leaning back wearily on the sofa, "but I've decided to give him a chance. After all, he had plenty of opportunity to arrest us, but he didn't."

"We've already suffered betrayal at the hands of someone we trusted implicitly," Kreeg spoke up, leaning against the side of an empty chair. "It won't be any more harmful to trust this uncle of Faith and Kate's."

"Unless he's only after intel on our location," Miller grumbled.

"In that case you know what we have to do?" Drake said harshly, meeting Faith with a fierce gaze.

She gave a single short nod of grim affirmation, and Kate remained painfully silent. That seemed to be enough to appease Drake, who promptly redirected the conversation.

"Before we give Amos a chance to prove himself, we need to know more about his activities. Now, the Pursuit Cop told Miller that a man named Colton was trying to access sensitive PK information, and it sounds like this man could be Amos. He also said that the man was inside RP&A on the day Pope was murdered."

Faith tried to mask the surprise that flashed across her face, and she deliberately avoided Kate's gaze.

"Faith and Miller, you two break into RP&A and access the CCTV; try and figure out exactly who Colton is and what he was up to. If that puts Amos in the clear, we'll arrange some sort of alliance."

"Sure thing," Faith nodded obediently, turning to Miller to gauge his reaction. The lieutenant gave a single sharp nod and folded both arms tightly across his chest.

"We'll get it sorted," he said assuredly. "Though you may not like what we find, Faith."

"If it turns out that Amos has been lying to us, then we'll deal with it."

Faith kept her expression blank, not wanting to betray anything to the other people in the room. But the truth was that she could never hurt Amos, because doing so would hurt Kate. And that meant Amos was pretty much guaranteed a free pass.

"Okay then," Drake nodded in satisfaction. "Kreeg and Kate, you stay here. Kreeg can monitor for any chatter amongst the other Runner cells, and Kate, you keep an eye out for this Ramirez person. See if he comes up with any more developments on PK."

"Right," the pair said in unison, before going about their respective tasks.

"Come on Miller, let's go," Faith said, disappearing quickly into the darkness of the vent.

Miller hesitated, turning back to Drake.

"Happy to be giving the orders now?" he enquired mockingly.

"You've got some attitude, but then I expect nothing less from a Blue."

A thin sneer crossed Drake's lips.

"I'm just trying to keep everyone safe," Miller asserted, unfazed by the insult.

"So am I," Drake was quick to respond.

The pair glared at each other a moment longer before Miller sighed and slowly turned to follow Faith.

* * *

Sliding back the circular drain cover, Faith ascended into the sub-basement of the RP&A building with Miller close behind. She wiped the grime from her clothes but the odour of the sewers would linger for some time to come.

"Not the most glamourous entrance," Miller grumbled as he smoothed down his white shirt, no longer pristine. The jacket, vest and tie had all been left at Drake's place yet Miller still retained an image of sophistication.

"Don't complain," Faith snapped back as she headed over to the staircase in the corner, ascending the rattling metal steps quickly.

Turning left at the top the pair emerged into a grey maintenance corridor, only the sound of dripping water in the distance enough to perforate the silence.

"No cameras here," Faith remarked with a satisfied grin as she broke into a steady jog, Miller only a few paces behind. Several turns later they came to a maintenance lift that would escort them to the security room.

 _"Faith, can you hear me?"_ Drake's voice buzzed in her ear.

"I can hear you," she said out loud, Miller furrowing his brow in confusion before understanding took hold.

 _"Take the lift to the fiftieth floor, then head along the corridor and take a left. You'll end up in the server room, where you can access the CCTV."_

"Okay, thanks Drake."

Faith tapped the call button and the lift arrived promptly, its doors creaking open and the pair stepping inside. She pressed the button marked 50 and the doors closed again, the lift shuddering into life. A single naked bulb flickered intermittently above their heads, and the sounds of clanging metal resonated all around.

Eventually the lift slowed to a halt and they exited on the fiftieth floor, surrounded by empty offices and dim ceiling lights. A few computer monitors had been left on, casting a soft blue glow over their surroundings.

The pair moved slowly along the corridor as Drake had instructed, soft carpet muting any sound their footsteps may have made. They glanced left and right into each passing office, making sure that no cleaners or security guards were hanging around.

Thankfully, the path was clear and Miller and Faith soon turned left through a glass door and into the server room, Faith taken aback by the sudden chill of the air conditioning on her bare arms. The servers hummed softly, coloured lights flickering in seemingly random patterns as they worked diligently through the night. This office may have been deserted, but clearly the employees at RP&A were still busy at work. It gave Faith a sense of comfort to know that Robert Pope's death had not caused his associates to falter, and that Callaghan's political victory would only be short-lived.

"Over here," Miller said, moving carefully among the server stacks towards a row of computers displaying black and white images of empty offices and hallways. Beside the computers was a steaming cup of coffee and a hardback novel.

"There must be a security guard nearby," Miller observed, instinctively reaching for his holstered pistols. "You check the footage and I'll keep watch."

With that he made his way back to the door and leaned discretely out, a keen eye on the hallway beyond. Meanwhile, Faith leaned over the keyboard and began typing- her work with Merc had given her plenty of computer experience- and she brought up the file history for the CCTV system. Scrolling through until she located the footage from the day and time of Pope's shooting, Faith double-clicked the link and the video began to play. Moving through the diffent camera feeds she eventually found one with a clear view of the office outside Pope's own, immediately recognising the place where it had all gone wrong.

She clicked fast-forward until something appeared that made her draw a sharp breath. Slowing the video back to normal speed, Faith watched reluctantly as Celeste, clad in her white assassin garb, emerged from the lift and swiftly made her way to Pope's office, drawing a gun as she ascended the stairs.

Moving once more through the feeds, Faith found one of the office interior, seeing Kate staring out the window, hands clasped together behind her back as Pope worked busily. Celeste entered the room and struck Kate across the back of the head before she had time to respond, the youngest Connors sibling falling limply to the ground. Faith had to bring a hand to her mouth to mute the cry of pain and outrage that threatened to erupt.

Forcing herself to continue watching, she saw the brief flash of surprise on Pope's face before Celeste fired a single shot directly into his skull.

The politican slumped onto the desk, Celeste roughly tearing a journal from his grip before hurrying back the way she'd come. With a shaky hand Faith changed the feed and saw Celeste heading once more toward the lift, pausing the video as something caught her attention in a corner of the frame. A man in a grey hoodie, crouched behind a desk.

Playing the video again, Faith saw the man remain hidden until Celeste had disappeared, before emerging from his cover and rushing frantically into Pope's office. He knelt down beside Kate's comatose form, bringing a hand to her neck to check for a pulse.

Once he was satisfied that she was okay, the man ran a gentle hand through her hair.

 _Amos._

Faith watched intently as Amos rose to his feet and headed for the door. Gripping the handle, he took a hesitant look back, before finally leaving the room. He ran down the stairs and across the main office below, before disappearing around a corner.

It had become clear that whatever Amos was involved with, he was not responsible for Pope's death. Faith had to admit she felt a little bit relieved, and it would be comforting for Kate to hear that their uncle had been there in her hour of need.

Fast-forwarding again, Faith continued to watch the deserted offices until another figure appeared, stepping out from the lift. Herself.

Satisfied that she'd pieced together the whole story, she turned to call for Miller, only to find that he wasn't there.

"Miller?" she said, keeping her voice low. As Faith headed cautiously for the door, there was a muffled thump from above. Her eyes darted upwards in time to see a black figure drop from a ceiling vent and land mere inches in front of her. There was a loud mechanical hiss and he tackled her around the waist, ramming her into one of the server stacks. Glass fractured under the force of impact and Faith gritted her teeth in pain.

The attacker was a member of Icarus, yet he was bulkier than the others she had encountered. Before Faith could manage to swing a punch in retaliation, the man seized her neck in a tight grip and clamped her wind-pipe shut. Faith struggled for breath and the world began to falter.


	6. Engage

**A/N: And here's the next chapter, prompt once again! Like I said last time, this probably won't last forever but I'm hoping to get as much of the story out as I can before things get busy again. Hopefully you're still enjoying the read, and hopefully the OCs fit in well with the rest of the Mirror's Edge universe. A few answers to be had in this chapter, and we really get the ball rolling on things to come. Leave a review or favorite/follow if you want. Enjoy the chapter! :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Six: Engage**

The PK's grip was steadfast, and Faith's desperate attempts to tear his arm away proved futile.

Forcing herself to relax, she lowered her arms and pressed them firmly against the server stack behind her. Bringing both knees up to her chest Faith kicked forward, connecting with the PK's mid-section and sending him reeling across the room.

She fell to the floor, rubbing her neck painfully and staggering uncertainly to her feet. The PK grabbed a desk to heave himself into a standing position, and Faith met his hostile glare beneath the black mask. The pair observed each other a moment before charging forward, the PK flicking his wrist to extend a telescopic rod, and bringing it up across his chest. When he was only a couple of paces away he brought the rod down in a vicious swing, Faith turning sideways to seize it with one hand, while her other hand took hold of his forearm. Using the PK's momentum she swung him around and sent him crashing through a glass panel into another part of the room. He collided with a server stack and rolled painfully to the floor, using the rod for balance as he tried to get back up. Faith rushed him, readying a kick to the side of his head which the PK caught and pushed away, causing her to stumble. He seized the opportunity and jabbed the rod into the small of Faith's back, a blinding pain washing over her as the force sent her flying across the room and colliding head-first with the far wall. A numbness came over Faith's body without warning, and she was unable to move her arms or legs. No matter how much she told herself that she had to get up, all Faith wanted to do was sleep.

Darkness flashed around the edges of her vision, and she was vaguely aware of the shadowy assassin walking towards her, and yet Faith didn't care. She couldn't care. There wasn't enough energy left in her dormant body.

* * *

Miller cast a glance over his shoulder to see Faith watching the video footage, hands gripping the sides of the monitor tightly. Whatever she had witnessed, it had been enough to break her usually cool demeanour. Turning back to the corridor, Miller saw nothing except the dim lights, plush blue carpets and deserted, tidy offices. And yet his years of experience in the field told him that something was wrong. A soft thump drew his attention to the side, and as he turned a metal rod struck him in the chest, a blast of burning energy coursing through his body and causing him to drop both guns. Miller staggered backwards but the figure was moving in to catch him, wrapping a muscular arm around his neck and locking the grip. Struggling as he was dragged backwards into an office, head fuzzy and body sluggish, he suddenly thought of Faith and a momentary wave of lucidity washed over him. But a moment was all Miller needed, as he swung his own leg out and hooked it around the PK's, sending both men tumbling to the ground with Miller landing on top. He swung an elbow backwards into the assassin's face, before rolling onto his front and prying the black mask loose. His attacker swung a kick which Miller blocked with an arm, before throwing a pair of punches into the man's now unprotected face. Blood poured freely from his nose, beady brown eyes glaring at Miller with an unrestrained fury.

Miller readied another punch but the rod struck him in the chest, another jolt of electricity throwing him up and away from the PK. He hit the ceiling, acoustic tiles crumbling under the weight of impact, before falling limply onto a desk in a shower of dust and mortar.

With a groan he rolled onto the floor and pushed himself up with shaking arms. Out the corner of his vision Miller could see the PK marching towards him, metallic rod primed to attack.

Realising that another blow would take him completely out of action, Miller strained to stand up, groaning with exertion as he put all his weight on the table, reaching for a paperweight an hurling it clumsily at the PK.

The solid object connected with the man's shoulder, knocking him sideways and giving Miller the opening he needed. With a grunt he charged forward, swinging a punch that landed solidly on the PK's jaw, sending him reeling backwards towards the floor. His head bounced against the edge of a table and he fell messily, clutching the bloody wound.

As he climbed into a sitting position Miller delivered a fierce kick to the face with the heel of his shoe, the PK's head snapping backwards and his entire body going limp. He collapsed to the floor and stayed there, unmoving.

"Damn PK," Miller growled, smoothing down his shirt and rushing back into the hallway to collect his pistols. Entering the server room he saw Faith slumped against the far wall, eyes rolling listlessly as the Pursuit Cop moved in for the kill. Not hesitating for a second, Miller raised his gun, pulled back the hammer and fired. The bullet passed cleanly through the PK's skull in a shower of blood, the man falling heavily to the floor.

"Faith!" Miller called, hurrying to the young woman's side. "Are you alright?" He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, eyes wide and searching as he awaited a response. Moments passed and Miller observed, by degrees, Faith regaining her focus. The gaze became sharper and eventually fixed on Miller, a flash of anger and determination in her eyes.

"They're here," she said.

"I know," Miller replied, helping her to her feet. "We need to move quickly. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Amos is innocent," Faith said eagerly as the pair hurried for the exit.

Miller went to step through the door when a black shadow appeared, blocking the path. He landed a punch squarely on Miller's nose, the police lieutenant recoiling from the impact and picking up the distinct taste of blood. Faith went to throw a jab of her own which the PK effortlessly sidestepped, before striking her with a back-handed slap that knocked her against the wall. Turning to Miller, the PK moved into a crouch and there was a mechanical hiss as he launched forward, cutting through the air like a missile. Miller braced for impact as he was caught in a powerful tackle and rammed against a server stack.

"Traitor!" the PK screamed. "You've had this coming, lieutenant."

He jabbed the taser rod forward, Miller slipping from his adversary's grip and ducking at the last instant, leaving the rod to finding nothing but air until it plunged into the server in a hail of sparks. From his crouched position Miller landed a punch in the PK's mid-section before rising and delivering an almighty uppercut. The man staggered backwards but his taser did not, shearing completely as it had become trapped inside the server.

As the PK recovered from the blows, Miller wrenched the weapon free and brought it down on his opponent's head, the PK jerking spasmodically as he tumbled in a heap to the floor.

"Not bad, Miller," Faith remarked as she approached him, still moving with a measure of discomfort.

"Age brings more than wisdom, you know?" he said, flashing a brief smile before looking down at the dark runner on the floor. The man groaned wearily and appeared disoriented as he tried vainly to stand up.

"You've already come back for me once," Miller said as he withdrew a pistol. "You won't come back again."

In a single smooth motion, clearly honed through years of practice, Faith watched as Miller shot the PK once in the head.

"I think it's time for us to leave," Faith said wearily.

Miller nodded his approval as he holstered the pistol, and the pair made their way back to the lift, riding it down to the maintenance corridor.

Hurrying along the corridor and down the steps, they descended into the foul-smelling sewer, on their way back to Drake's place.

* * *

Pirandello marched towards Kruger's office, not even bothering to knock before he swung the door open. His business partner was sat at his desk, signing documents.

"Close the door, Arthur. I don't want a draught."

He looked up briefly, impassively, before returning to the work. Pirandello slammed the door behind him and charged over to the desk, bringing his hands down on its wooden surface with a resounding thump. His eyes blazed with indignation and his entire body was coiled to attack.

"You sent the untested Icarus units to RP&A," he stated bluntly, voice barely less than a shout.

With a weary sigh, Kruger carefully set his fountain pen down on the desk, before interlocking his chubby fingers and looking up to address Pirandello.

"As I recall, not only have the units been tested, but you were there to witness said tests. Or is the stress making you forget things, Arthur?" He flashed his nicotine-stained teeth in a taunting smile.

"I helped fund this trial to humour you, Kevin. But I never believed the concept would be viable, and I told you as much after that training exercise. I'm shutting it down."

With a wheeze of effort Kruger rose from the desk to better address Pirandello, each man now poised to strike.

"Since when have you been scared of progress?" Kruger demanded.

"Since it reflects badly on us, Kevin," came Pirandello's assured reply. He couldn't help but smirk as he saw Kruger's sweat-mottled brow, his neck red and irritated beneath the tight shirt collar. Sweat was leaking through his rumpled white shirt as well, and even standing up he was several inches shorter than Pirandello. It was abundantly clear who the true man was, and Pirandello wanted it to be known.

"We can't have these guys flying around the city causing havoc; the populace won't stand for it."

"They're docile consumers, Arthur," Kruger assured him, batting the comment away. "They'll accept whatever we give them."

"They have a limit," he retorted. "Citizens want to feel safe, and when the people assigned to protect them are more dangerous than all the dissidents hiding in the shadows, then something will snap."

"The new units are fine, Arthur. Just surrender your damn pride and accept that."

"This has nothing to do with pride, Kevin," he roared, leaning further across the desk to cast his shadow over the portly Kruger. "Listen to me when I say that it's overkill. The new units are too much. We have the first generation of the Icarus program and that's enough."

Kruger shook his head slowly and released a bitter chuckle.

"I wonder if perhaps Callaghan put you up to this. She is, after all, the sort of person who places high value on image." His flabby visage was contorted into a snarl and he glared at Pirandello with sly green eyes.

Pirandello gave an exasperated sigh and ran a hand through his luxuriant blonde hair before continuing.

"Elaine didn't put me up to this, but she'd sure as hell agree. Now discontinue the project before I have a team detain you."

"You think these men answer to you, Arthur?" Kruger scoffed. "That pretty face of yours can only get you so far."

"Damn it, Kevin!" Pirandello roared, slamming a muscular fist on the desk and knocking a pencil off the side. "We're on the verge of saving this city, and we don't need your damn arrogance interfering with that."

"Too bad, because the project remains," Kruger insisted, nostrils flaring and face flushed red with anger.

"Wrong move, Kruger," Pirandello replied, backing slowly away from the table. He cast his business partner a final warning glance before turning and marching from the room.

Kruger stood a moment longer before heading to the door which Pirandello had so rudely forgotten to close, shutting it gently before returning to his desk and sitting down with a comfortable sigh in the wide leather chair. As he set to work reorganising his paperwork, a chuckle escaped Kruger's lips. And then another. Arthur Pirandello did not hold as much control as he liked to believe.

* * *

"Ramirez says there's almost no-one left at the office," Kate explained nervously. "Most CPF officers have either been suspended or taken in for questioning. PK came looking for Ramirez but he managed to stay hidden under the bed until they'd gone."

"It's all just a charade," Miller grumbled. "And they can get away with it because Callaghan's the one pulling the strings." He fastened his suit vest and ran a hand through his hair to smooth it over.

"We need to find out exactly what Amos knows," Faith spoke up. "I'll be heading out to meet him in a few minutes, and hopefully it won't be a trap."

"It won't be," Kate vowed, holding herself with renewed confidence. Faith had to admit, it warmed her heart to see the belief that Kate carried for their wayward uncle. Not born out of arrogance or naive ignorance, it was rather born out of love. And maybe that was something that all too often remained elusive.

"What about those new PKs?" Drake enquired, eyes passing between Faith and Miller as he awaited a reply.

"They're dangerous," Miller replied with grim sincerity. "I don't know how many more are out there, but they're probably the greatest threat we'll face."

"Tell us about them," Kreeg asked softly, deep brown eyes wide with concern.

"They have hydraulic appendages attached to their legs," Miller began in a professional tone. "These allow them to jump incredible distances, which in a rooftop environment would permit them an almost absolute advantage."

"What else?" Drake asked gruffly.

"They have high-powered taser rods capable of launching a person several feet into the air and debilitating them. Bad enough in an enclosed space but on a roof with a shear edge... they'd be lethal."

"This ain't good," Drake sighed, rubbing his temple and pacing about the room. "Let's see what Amos has to say first, and then we'll try and put a plan together."

He moved over to the computer to converse with Drake, while Miller went to collect his jacket from the sofa. That left Faith and Kate standing alone in a corner of the room.

"We'll make it through this," Kate offered gently.

"Yeah," Faith replied with a slight nod.

The pair of sisters took each other in a warm embrace, before Faith pulled back to address the room.

"I'm heading out now," she called.

"Take care," Kreeg offered.

Miller and Drake both delivered a curt nod before turning to glare at each other.

"I'll be back soon," Faith said to Kate with a smile, before turning and ducking into the vent.

As soon as the sound of Faith's movement had dissipated Kate released a breath she hadn't even been aware she was holding. Slowly, and with measured steps, she approached Miller.

"Lieutenant," she began.

"Yes, Kate." Miller turned to face her, a kindly smile gracing his chiselled features.

Kate hesitated a moment before finally speaking again.

"Look after Faith, in case I can't."

"You shouldn't have to ask," Miller replied with a warm chuckle. "Although I think you underestimate her abilities... and your own."

"Thank you, sir," she responded nervously. "I just... can't quite believe how much has happened in a week. When I went to Pope's office that day, I never thought-"

Kate fell silent as Miller placed a strong, comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You've made it this far, Kate. I know you and your sister will see this through." Again he offered that fatherly smile, enough to make Kate feel just a little bit safer. She gave a weak smile of her own in return.

"And I know it all seems sudden," Miller continued, "but I've been keeping an eye on PK for a while now. While it's true that we need to exercise great caution, believe me, they can be beaten."

* * *

Amos was already at the rendezvous when Faith arrived, and he followed her willingly back to Drake's hideout. By the time he climbed through the vent and rose to his feet inside the small room his face was red with exertion, and he moved with a pained stiffness.

"Amos Connors," Drake said in a severe tone. He had been waiting by the vent exit, arms folded across his broad chest and face set in a harsh mask. "I see you didn't bring your PK friends."

"If I brought PK," he began as he dusted himself down, "they'd kill me as soon as they'd killed you. We've already been exchanging messages, and these days that's enough to sign my death warrant."

Drake seemed to deflate slightly at that remark, as though he'd been readying himself for a heated argument. But Amos's justification was air-tight. If he turned them over to PK, he would also have to face the wrath of the brutish security contractors.

"Very well," Drake conceded, unfolding his arms and letting them hang by his sides. "I think it's about time you told us everything you know."

"Okay."

Amos gestured for Drake to sit down on the sofa but he remained standing, intense gaze not wavering for a moment. After a moment's hesitation, Amos cleared his throat awkwardly and began his story.

"During the November Riots I witnessed the formation of PK from the separate organisations Kruger Protective Solutions and Pirandello Securities. It didn't take long for them to rise to power, and being an investigative journalist, I inserted myself into the company to try and uncover the story behind it all."

The people in the room were all watching Amos closely and listening keenly to everything he had to say. Drake gave a thoughtful nod before motioning for the elder Connors to continue.

"After six months I started to hear rumours about PK killing women and children in Serdaristan, in order to force suspected terrorists to surrender."

"Oh my god."

Kate released a quiet gasp, bringing her shaking hands to cover her mouth. Faith also seemed to recoil slightly, but kept her expression flat.

"The more I investigated, the more corroborating stories I heard. And it soon became apparent that certain records of those operations in Serdaristan were being hidden from public view. Realising that this was the key to stopping PK, I devoted my life to rising through the ranks until I was close enough to uncover those documents. And I've finally found them."

"Why do the records even exist?" Kreeg enquired, cupping his chin in thought. "Surely PK would have destroyed them."

"PK's benefactors like to know their money is being spent well," Amos replied simply, his tone heavy with bitterness.

"Faith says you need our help to acquire the documents?" Drake spoke up.

"That's correct." Amos nodded in the affirmative. "And I have a plan to do just that."


	7. Operation Cherry Blossom

**A/N: And here's the next chapter! You may notice that rather a lot happens in this one as we build towards the big finish. Hope you're all still enjoying the read; let me know what you think. :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven: Operation Cherry Blossom**

Faith had a package to deliver. Given recent circumstances, her job as a courier had taken a backseat to survival, but Mark Schonherr was a trusted benefactor of the Runners, and had said in his email that the package may be enough to keep them safe.

She bounded from the edge of a rooftop and landed with a skilful roll on the roof opposite, coming up and vaulting over a chain-link fence before scaling the side of an air-conditioning unit.

Running along the unit's length, footsteps loud and hollow on the metal surface, she jumped again, feet making contact with another roof across the way. There was a communications mast in the far-right corner, and resting against its base was the yellow Runner bag, its colour both dazzling and alluring to Faith in equal measure. Only a red bag would have been better.

Hoisting the bag onto a shoulder Faith was taken aback by its weight, though quickly found a comfortable rhythm as she continued the short journey to the Cherry Blossom Shopping Centre.

Leaping from the top of an apartment block, she grabbed hold of a pipe and slid down to street level, her feet making contact with the concrete floor of an alleyway. A quick glance around confirmed that no-one had seen her arrival, and Faith made her way around the alley and to the left, to the back of the Centre. A swift kick to the red door labelled _loading dock_ brought it crashing open unceremoniously, and gave Faith her route into the building.

Stepping inside she found herself in a wide yellow room with low ceilings, lined with rows of bright lights. In a far corner of the room was a parked truck, its back doors hanging open and a forklift waiting nearby. There were no workers to be seen- something that seemed to happen an awful lot in the City.

Faith dashed across the empty space, her steady breathing and light foot-falls the only sounds to be heard over the silence. Up ahead a rat scurried beneath a half-open metal shutter, the number 02 emblazoned in bold red letters on its grey surface, and Faith set her eyes on that very same route. Sliding effortlessly beneath the shutter she came up inside a vast storage room, massive rows of shelves towering overhead, and stuffed with boxes of merchandise, ready to be taken to the individual shopping units.

At some indeterminate point in the distance she could hear the sounds of machinery and workers barking orders, but they were so far away she opted not to concern herself. Taking a sharp left she found the Flow before performing a slick wall-run, turning and jumping to land on an intermediate level of one of the shelving units.

Sprinting along its length, Faith vaulted a row of cardboard boxes before coming to the end of the shelf and leaping onto a gantry. Turning right she climbed the rattling gantry steps to the highest level, tracing the path until she came to a closed red door. A swift punch brought it crashing down and Faith emerged in a dim and dusty storage room behind one of the shopping units.

Moving cautiously towards the front of the unit she verified with satisfaction that Drake's intel had been accurate- the entire second level of the Centre was undergoing renovation which meant that Faith wouldn't have to conceal herself from vigilant shoppers. And since the construction workers appeared to be on a lunch break she was free to move about the area.

Running along the tiled pedestrian balcony she picked up the smells of fresh paint and sawdust, passing many empty units covered with translucent plastic sheeting.

Eventually Faith came to the drop point, a metal pillar supporting one corner of a balcony overlooking the level below. Risking a glance downwards Faith saw the fashionable shoppers with their heavy bags, walking with enthusiasm and chatting merrily.

Carefully Faith set the bag against the base of the pillar, smirking with satisfaction before pressing a finger to her ear bud.

"Hey Drake, package is delivered, I'm heading back now."

 _"Okay Faith, good work. I'll see you soon."_ His voice, slightly distant, rang out in her ear and Faith enjoyed the comfort it lent her. Drake had a wise authority almost on par with Merc, and with time she believed he would grow into his new-found role.

Continuing along the path, Faith soon ducked left into a maintenance hallway, running to the end and bursting through a door onto a small corner of the rooftop. To her left was a small bin half-filled with cigarette butts, and Faith surmised that this was the smoking area. City authorities had really cracked down on smoking over the last few years, forcing those who couldn't kick the habit to hide in the shadows, out of sight of the general populace. A policy typical of the current regime.

Faith stepped out onto a narrow ledge and began to follow it around the side of the building.

There was a deafening bang.

Time stopped.

The world shook and she fell, upwards or downwards she couldn't say, striking a hard surface painfully.

There was a burning heat on one side of her face. And an angry orange light.

Something else began to invade Faith's senses, demanding her attention. Screaming. The screaming of a group of people, rising to become a terrified cacophany.

The world around her had become blurred, spinning wildly.

Faith tried to stand but her body would not allow it and she fell once more onto the hard surface.

Groping wildly for something to hang on to, her vision gradually began to steady itself, objects coming back into focus.

When the dizziness subsided Faith rose on shaking legs and surveyed the world around her. The entire front of the shopping centre was in flames, people screaming in pain and terror as they rushed out onto the street. Their clothes were torn and covered with dust, and many had bloody wounds on their bodies.

Rubble fell from the devastated facade and tumbled onto the street below, smashing and causing ever more screams to rise.

Faith became aware of a trickling sensation down the side of her face, and reached for her temple. It was warm and sticky and when she moved her hand away it was red with blood. There were also cuts and scrapes along her arms and legs, and her black top was torn, exposing bare skin.

She continued to watch the mayhem, unable to move as limp forms were carried out of the building, emerging from the plume of black smoke and orange flames that continued to dance in the shattered windows. Over the roar of the fires and cries of civilians Faith heard police and ambulance sirens, drawing rapidly nearer. She was immediately shaken out of her daze and forced herself to focus. Slowly putting one foot in front of the other, Faith began to walk away from the ruins towards the alley. As she became surer in her footing the walk became a jog which finally became a run. She kept running, faster and faster, until the sights, sounds and smells of the explosion were only a painful memory.

* * *

"My God, Faith! Are you okay?" Kate cried as she rushed to embrace her wounded sister. Faith winced as she was squeezed tightly around the middle, but did not object, instead calmly wrapping her arms around Kate's slender form.

"Glad to have you back, Faith," Kreeg added from across the room. He tried to offer a reassuring smile, but it was crooked and tired.

"This is what Randall was talking about," Miller spoke up once the two siblings had been allowed their tender reunion.

"A targeted attack on the Runners."

"Meant to turn the populace against us all," Drake added, his tone severe.

"It's probably so PK have justification to show those new Icarus units in public," Faith announced, moving slowly towards the sofa and lowering herself into a sitting position. She had begun to feel dizzy again.

"Well, PK might be making their move but so are we. Your uncle has prepared a plan to acquire those documents," Drake announced. He motioned for Amos to begin speaking, the elder Connors stepping forward and clearing his throat.

"The unofficial Serdaristan documents, those which would be damning to PK if ever made public, are only accessible by Level One employees, of which there are only a few."

"Inlcuding Pirandello and Kruger themselves, I assume?" Faith enquired with a pained smile. Kate sat down beside her sister, eyes wide with alarm at the discomfort she appeared to be experiencing.

"Exactly," Amos confirmed. "In terms of access, Pirandello is the softest target, so this is what we need to do."

He paused a moment and turned to meet the gazes of every person in the room, making sure he had their undivided attention. Satisfied, Amos continued.

"Using a dummy account that can't be traced back to me, we'll wait until Pirandello leaves work tomorrow night and then bombard his email account with spam. The idea is to send so much that we get the attention of a cleaner or night watchman- of which PK have many- who'll phone Pirandello to alert him to the issue."

"This isn't how I imagined we'd be fighting a war," Miller grumbled.

"True," Amos admitted, "but under the circumstances this is the only option available to us."

With a slight nod, Miller conceded.

"Anyway," Amos continued, "once Pirandello gets the call he'll sign in to his account remotely, from his home which is an apartment on the top two floors of Beacon Tower. Now, if you're up to it, then this is where you come in, Faith."

"I'm fine," Faith insisted, rising shakily to her feet. Kate moved in to support her arm but the eldest Connors sibling gently shifted her weight away. "Just tell me what I need to do, Amos."

"Thank you," Amos said with an affectionate smile. "You always were a strong girl. Both of you." Kate seemed to inflate with pride when he spoke those final words.

"Pirandello lives on the 35th and 36th floors of the tower, and if you approach from the neighbouring Worley Tower, then you can sneak in on the 24th floor and take the stairs the rest of the way."

"Understood," Faith said with an obedient nod.

"Once Pirandello opens the account you enter his apartment and subdue him, then download the files to a pen drive and get out of there."

Kate shook her head vigorously, hands balled tightly into fists by her sides.

"Pirandello is dangerous, Faith! I'm not letting you go in there alone!"

"You can't run, Kate," Faith retorted, her tone sympathetic.

"You mean I shouldn't be able to run, just like every other Blue?" Kate was defiant now, hands placed firmly on her hips and expression resolute. "Perhaps you should have a little more faith in me."

Faith chuckled at the remark and met her sister with an affectionate glance.

"Alright then, we'll do it together."

"You can take care of each other," Amos declared, voice overflowing with pride. "And once you're out of there, Kreeg and Miller-" He turned to address the police lieutenant and the powerfully-built Runner, "-you two will cover the escape. It's possible Pirandello may have some Icarus units on stand-by as a personal security measure."

"We'll see to it," Miller vowed, checking his pistols were still securely in their holsters.

"And once you get back here with the data, we'll upload it to the net for all the world to see, and PK will be finished."

He breathed a deep sigh of relief, as though a weight had been lifted after all these years. The end of Amos's- and their father's- struggle was almost in sight.

* * *

Amos sipped a cup of coffee in the alley beside Drake's hideout, deep in thought.

"You don't want to catch a cold," Faith called as she stepped out to join him. "It's a hell of a lot warmer inside, you know?"

"I like the fresh air," he explained, smiling meekly. "And perhaps you should worry more about yourself. It's okay to wear sleeves, Faith."

"Bad weather never concerned me," she shrugged, examining the clean black top she'd put on after the explosion.

Amos chuckled and took another sip of his coffee, taking solace in its warmth.

"I see Miller's car hasn't been towed yet," Faith continued, nodding towards the parked saloon as her mind flashed back to their escape from the Shard. "He'll be pleased to hear that."

"Is there something on your mind, Faith?" Amos enquired, meeting his niece with a curious stare.

"You could say that," Faith admitted, leaning against the rough brick wall beside her uncle. "There's something about your story that doesn't add up, Amos."

"Ah," he said knowingly.

"Why has it taken you so long to put this plan together? You've had years, after all." She kept her gaze fixed on him the entire time, not wanting to miss a moment of his explanation.

"Faith," he began slowly, unsurely. "David's sick, he has been for years now."

"Oh," was all Faith could manage, taken aback by the revelation. She'd never actually met her youngest cousin, and Amos always skirted the issue of his wife and son whenever they held a family reunion. "I'm sorry, Amos."

"It's okay," he said with a weak smile, before taking another sip of his drink. "Tessa's been out of work as well, what with the depression." He swallowed thickly and his hand began to tremble.

"We needed the money and all the perks I get with PK, so that's why I stayed, Faith. I've had this plan on the backburner for years, because I realised that there was one thing more important than saving the city, and that was saving my family."

"You should have told us," Faith said, a measure of sympathy in her voice.

"Abraham and I were never close to begin with," he shrugged. "I didn't want to burden him."

"He might like it if you'd just open up and let him into your life."

Amos gave her a weary smile before replying.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Faith."

As he brought the coffee cup back to his lips Faith reached out and gripped his arm tightly, meeting his startled gaze.

"Uncle, I know what it means to carry a burden, but you need to understand that pushing people away won't help a thing. You need to let them in."

He observed her in silent shock for a moment before relenting. As he relaxed Faith slowly withdrew her arm.

"Maybe once this is all over," he said, and Faith gave a single nod of approval.

"You know, you really have a way of cutting through the crap, Faith? I guess I've been projecting this image of confidence for so long, trying to get close to PK, that I've forgotten how to have a normal conversation."

"Don't worry, uncle. You're not the only one."

* * *

"Beautiful night," Kate reflected as she gazed up at the starry sky.

"It certainly is," Faith agreed, grateful that for once it was not obscured by the orange glow of the City. She was reminded of the rooftop garden where she had confronted Celeste, and how she had learnt to appreciate the beauty that could be found even in this oppressive maze of glass and steel.

"I'm glad you made peace with uncle Amos," Kate continued, looking down to address her sister.

"I don't think it was ever going to end differently," Faith admitted, not breaking her own gaze from the sky.

 _"Hey Faith, do you hear me?"_ Drake's commanding voice rang in her ear.

"Yeah, I hear you."

 _"Amos is about to send the emails, so get in position."_

"Okay."

Faith rose to her feet and Kate did the same, holding herself with a nervous excitement.

"Are you ready for this?" Faith asked, and Kate gave a confident nod of affirmation.

"Alright then, follow my lead."

Faith turned and started jogging towards the edge of the rootop, feeling the Flow as it took her in its embrace. As the sheer precipice yawned up ahead she leapt, coursing over the street and landing with a roll on the wide balcony opposite. Before she could even rise to her feet Kate landed in a tumble next to her, face red with exertion and hair in disarray.

"Told you," she cheered, and Faith smirked as she helped her sister to her feet. "You'd be surprised how much running I've done in the past, chasing bad guys across the City."

Faith was impressed, and it must have shown on her face because Kate's exhilarated smile grew wider.

"Let's go," Faith continued, remembering that there was no time for chatting until the mission was over. Heading for the door she kicked it open and the pair made their way along a blank corridor, closed white doors on either side.

When they came to the stairs Faith took them two at a time, racing up the first few floors but slowing as tiredness began to take over. By the time she reached Pirandello's floor she was panting heavily, and had to lean against the wall to catch her breath. Kate did the same and once both sisters had regained their composure they made their way along the hall to Pirandello's front door.

"It's a lot nicer up here," Kate observed, noting the plush red carpet which was in stark opposition to the utilitarian white tiles on the floors below.

"Why doesn't it surprise me that Pirandello lives in decadence?" Faith grumbled as they came to his door.

Bringing a hand to the earbud she spoke in a quiet whisper.

"We're in position, Drake."

"Hang tight, Pirandello's just moving over to the phone."

Faith listened closely and could actually hear the phone ringing inside the apartment.

 _"Kreeg has eyes on the apartment from outside, I'm just waiting for his cue,"_ Drake explained. There was a brief pause before he spoke again.

"Okay... he's hanging up the phone and moving over to the computer... he's signing in..."

Faith and Kate exchanged a glance, their faces both set with determination.

"Kreeg's given the go-ahead; when you're ready, Faith..."

"This is it," Faith said to Kate, before moving into position and delivering a mighty kick to door. It shattered open and the pair rushed into the apartment, Kate bringing her weapon to bear on the startled Pirandello. The moment he realised what was happening his face became hard and he reached for a gun on the coffee table. But Faith was quick.

She vaulted the sumptuous leather sofa, and using the table as a springboard, delivered a flying kick that connected soldily with Pirandello's muscular chest, sending him flying into a high-backed armchair and tumbling heavily to the floor.

"Move, Kate," Faith called, but her sister needed no prompting. She was already slipping the pen drive into the computer and scouring for the documents they needed.

Pirandello groaned and Faith silenced him with a swift kick to the ribs, before seizing the pistol and training it on his head.

"Almost done..." Kate said nervously, Faith glancing to see her sister hunched over the computer.

Pirandello pushed himself into a sitting position, slumped against the side of the overturned armchair. He met Faith with a gaze more venomous than any Jacknife or Celeste had ever delivered, and she was slightly taken aback by its ferocity.

"I've got it!" Kate declared, taking the pen drive from the computer and tucking it safely into her pocket.

The pair made their way back across the room, Faith keeping the gun trained on Pirandello at all times.

"You haven't won yet!" he snarled, spittle flying from his lips as he glowered at the retreating sisters. Faith said nothing, backing calmly out of the room and not lowering the gun until they were both safely in the hallway. And then it was time to run.

Faith once again led the way, hurrying down to the 27th floor before racing along the hallway and out onto a balcony. She kept moving, experiencing the full sensation of the Flow and as the edge approached Faith leapt, falling and landing on the rooftop where they had been stargazing only five minutes earlier. Kate landed next to her, rolling with more grace this time but still looking as frantic as ever when she rose to her feet.

There was a high-pitched whistle and Faith spun towards the sound, seeing the wide outline of Kreeg on a nearby building, waving eagerly. She returned the wave to signify the all-clear, before looking to Kate.

"Time to go home," she breathed in relief, but before Kate could reply there was a high-pitched whine and the entire city fell into darkness.

* * *

The lights flickered back on at irregular intervals, life returning to the City.

"Power cut?" Faith asked to no-one in particular, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"I've never seen anything on that scale before," Kate added, fretful.

"A side-effect of what happened at the Shard, maybe? I'll see if Drake knows anything."

Raising a hand to her ear Faith spoke up.

"Drake, are you there? Drake?"

Only silence. She tried again.

"Drake?"

Kate watched her sister cautiously, while glancing around to make sure Pirandello's men weren't in pursuit. Not that they could make a clean getaway if the City were to fall into darkness again. Kate didn't fancy replaying her death-defying jump when she couldn't even see her hand in front of her face.

"No response on the comms," Faith announced grimly. "Everything must be down."

"I guess we just head back for now," Kate offered.

"Yeah, but let's take it slowly."

* * *

They returned to Drake's place without any further power cuts, although comms were inoperational the entire time. As the two sisters climbed from the vent and emerged in the cosy hideout, they saw the leader of the Runners sat at his desk, a deep scowl on his face as he worked at the computer.

"Faith, Kate, welcome back," he said distractedly.

"What happened, Drake?" Faith wasted no time in asking.

Slowly, Drake tore his eyes away from the screen.

"Internet is down across the entire City," he declared reluctantly. "There's nothing I can do to get it back online, which means we have no way of uploading the files."

There was noise from behind as Kreeg and Miller also emerged from the vent, faces confused yet serious.

"What was that fancy light show?" Kreeg enquired, moving over to join the sisters.

"Internet's down," Faith explained. "It must be a PK countermeasure."

"A kill switch," Miller said from where he stood in the corner. "Pirandello may have had it on his person, for exactly this sort of scenario."

"So what do we do?" Kate asked, looking around the room for answers and reaching defensively for the pen drive in her pocket.

"There is one possibility," Miller said as he adjusted his tie. "But it may not be well received."

"What is it?" Drake demanded, rising from his seat and leaning forward impatiently.

"We need to go back to the Shard."


	8. Ascension

**A/N: Hello everyone, and welcome to the next chapter! We're getting very close to the end now, with a lot of action (hooray!) coming up shortly. Hope you're all still enjoying the read, and let me know what you think. :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight: Ascension**

"This is what we need to do," Miller began, every person in the room watching him intently. "Drake will use his IT skills to identify a PK unit assigned to security at the Shard; Faith and I will then steal a couple of the uniforms and sneak inside undetected. At the same time, Kate and Amos, you two will book a room at the Skyline Hotel and hack into the Shard mainframe from there. You'll need to cover Faith and I as we make our way to the server room and manually reset the kill switch."

"Who the hell do you think you are!?" Drake roared, storming across the room in a series of powerful strides and seizing Miller by his crisp white collar.

"You may have led an army of dispensible Blues back in the day, _Lieutenant_ -"

His face twisted into a mask of contempt as he said that word.

"-but you're not putting my Runners in danger for some reckless, haphazard plan of yours."

All the rage Drake had been harbouring for Miller since their first encounter had finally boiled over, the lieutenant knowing he'd assumed control once too often. He wanted nothing more than to land a blow right on Drake's nose but restrained himself, knowing that escalating the situation would not be of benefit to anyone.

"Drake, it's okay," Faith pleaded, resting a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, take it easy," Kreeg added, his tone calm and soothing. "It's a good plan, okay."

But Drake wasn't hearing their words, his blazing eyes fixed on Miller and his face blushed red with anger.

"Listen to me, Miller," he said through gritted teeth. "We're not tools to be used in some revenge plan you may have for PK. We protect our own interests, okay? You may have been allowed to remain here as a courtesy, but not anymore."

"Drake!" Faith shouted, and he shot her a warning glance before returning his full attention to the man in his grip.

"You're top brass among the Blues, so you sure as hell don't belong amongst the Runners."

Miller met his furious gaze before responding in the calmest tone he could muster.

"Do you have a plan, Drake?" he asked.

"I'll think of one," the eldest Runner quickly asserted.

"We don't have time for that," Miller retorted. "I'm ready to make a move right now, if everyone else is on board?"

There were nods and murmurs of approval throughout the room, and Kreeg placed a muscular hand on Drake's shoulder. He glared at Miller a moment longer before shoving him roughly away and letting himself by guided towards the sofa.

With irritated motions Miller reorganised his collar before adding a quiet "thank you."

"You may not believe I have your Runners' best interests at heart," he continued, looking at Drake, "but I have every desire to protect those under my leadership."

He turned to offer Kate a brief smile which she nervously reciprocated, before turning back to the leader of the Runners.

"I made myself an enemy of PK, I risked my life and I destroyed my career, all to keep her safe, so you know that I wouldn't put her in danger recklessly."

There was an extended pause, the threat of more violence hanging heavily in the air, before Drake finally shrugged off Kreeg and Faith and shook his head in irritation.

"Fine," he conceded with a growl. "But once this is over you sure as hell won't be welcome here."

"Fair enough," Miller shrugged. "Now, if I can continue the plan?"

Drake made no attempt to move or speak up, and Miller took that as his cue to resume.

"Kreeg and Drake, your mission is to steal a CityEye chopper and fly it to the top of the Shard, ready to extract Faith and I. Amos and Kate, you two will simply walk out the front door. Of course you'll be in disguise the entire time, for obvious reasons."

"We'll get it done," Kreeg vowed, cracking his knuckles.

"Good," Miller replied. "Is anyone not happy about what we need to do?"

Everyone stood alertly, faces set with determination. There were no objections, not even from Drake, although he still looked ready to kill Miller.

"Alright then," Miller said, clapping his hands together. "In that case it's time to begin."

* * *

"Drake, you got a moment?" The voice called out from behind, and Drake turned to see Kreeg walking towards him, partly concealed by the heavy shadow of night. They were on the roof of the hideout, Drake leaning heavily against the cool metal railing.

"Sure," he replied, turning back towards the view as his friend and colleague joined him at the edge.

"That was some display back there," Kreeg said with a chuckle, hoping to put the new leader of the Runners at ease.

"He had it coming," Drake defended with a heavy sigh.

"Maybe, or maybe not," Kreeg said with a shrug of his muscular shoulders. Both men kept their attention fixed on the view spreading out before them, the vast form of the city illuminated by millions of tiny specks of light. They could see the Shard as well from where they stood, glowing a cool shade of Blue and watching dominantly over all the other buildings. Omnipresent and all-seeing, it was the perfect symbol of Callaghan and PK's hold over the City.

The upper floors were cloaked in darkness and Kreeg could see the faint shimmer of rising smoke, a sight that brought a thin smile to his lips. Perhaps PK weren't so powerful after all.

"But you have to admit his plan was sound," Kreeg added.

Drake scratched thoughtfully at his unshaven chin before responding.

"I have a responsibility, Kreeg, and I can't have an outsider, much less a Blue, coming in and giving orders."

"Ah, so that's what this is about," Kreeg said knowingly. "You think you have to be in charge all the time, yeah?"

"Of course!" Drake snapped defiantly. He shot Kreeg a brief glance before looking out once more at the skyline.

"Now that Merc's... gone, I need to step up."

"Well," Kreeg resumed, pausing a moment as he selected the right words. "Maybe part of being a leader is knowing when to trust other people to lead. Given the circumstances, Miller is the best person to formulate a plan, and we're all happy with what he's proposed."

"I guess," Drake grumbled in reply. "I only want to keep you all safe, the may that Merc did."

"Drake, you care, and that's enough, okay?" Kreeg gave his long-time friend an amiable pat on the back. "You don't always need to come up with the brilliant plan, as long as you care."

Drake released a nervous chuckle, shaking his head to mask his rising embarrassment.

"I guess," he mumbled again, before pushing away from the railing and turning to go back inside. But as he approached the stairwell he saw Faith emerge, her own expression heavy with concern.

"Hey guys," she began as she approached. "Can I ask you both about something?"

"Sure, what's on your mind, Faith?" Drake offered, returning with the young Runner to the railing, where she positioned herself between him and Kreeg. Folding both arms on the railing, she gave a weary sigh before speaking.

"I don't know if I can go back to the Shard," she admitted reluctantly.

"Because that's where you nearly lost Kate?" Kreeg asked in a sympathetic tone, studying her with wide, soulful eyes.

"No, it's..."

She shook her head in frustration, struggling to put the feeling into words.

"I thought I was okay with it, but when Miller said we had to go back, I just..."

"Faith, you can tell us anything," Drake assured her, giving her arm a light pat before withdrawing.

"It's just that... when I jumped onto that helicopter to save Kate, I'd never felt so scared. Feeling gravity pull away like that, it's normally exhilherating, you know?" She looked at both men pleadingly and they nodded their agreement. "Normally it makes me glad to be alive, but when I think about that impossible leap, it just makes me scared of death."

She was shaking now, and Kreeg moved to give her a gentle hug before stopping himself and retreating slightly. Faith only needed that kind of affirmation from one person in her life, and it wasn't Kreeg.

"Faith," Drake began cautiously, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of neck. "We've all experienced something like that, the feeling that we can't go on. That we can't make a jump."

"It's called getting old, Faith," Kreeg said with a broad grin. "Welcome to the club!"

"We all reach a point where the illusion shatters and we have to face our own mortality. But it doesn't make you any less of a Runner, it just makes you more of a person."

"If I hadn't jumped, I would have lost Kate," Faith said in barely more than a whisper, her head cast weakly downwards.

"And if you were faced with the same situation now, you'd still jump," Drake said with certainty. "You'd just see it differently."

"So if you think you can't run, Faith, then think again," Kreeg declared with an affectionate smile. Faith finally glanced up to meet his kindly gaze, her eyes moist with tears. After a moment of hesitation she returned the smile and wiped her eyes with the back of her arm.

"Thank you, both of you," she said, voice breaking almost imperceptibly.

"Always," Drake said.

* * *

Drake had identified a pair of PK officers assigned to patrol the maintenance entrance to the Shard- the very same entrance Faith had used during her first infiltration of the monolithic building, and now Faith and Miller were preparing to get the drop on them.

"Here we are again," Miller sighed as they sat together atop a rattling vent, concealed from view by a nest of hissing blue pipes. "Not the ideal night out, for sure."

"I've already trashed the server room once," Faith said. "I guess I should finish the job."

Miller chuckled at the remark and shook his head.

"PK deserve everything they've got coming," he said.

The pair sat in silence for a while, listening to the banging pipes as they waited for the PKs to pass by.

"So what'll you do when this is all over?" Faith spoke up after a time. She focused on clenching and unclenching her fists as she asked the question, and did not look at Miller.

"I guess," he said thoughtfully, "I should probably reconcile with my wife."

"I didn't know you were married," Faith said, looking up with raised eyebrows. "You kept that quiet."

"Oh yes, fifteen years. Although we've been apart for the last three." He sighed and his broad shoulders slumped wearily.

"How so?" Faith asked in a soft tone.

"My wife's a lawyer, and she can be arrogant. Just like me." He gave a bitter laugh.

"I suppose you can imagine it, Faith. Two arrogant people with high-powered jobs; it was never meant to work."

"Maybe it was just meant to be difficult," Faith offered with a shrug. "That doesn't mean you should give up trying. Or at least, that's what I've learnt."

There was another pause before Miller sighed again, though this time a smile began to play across his lips.

"Perhaps you're on to something there," he admitted. "And with everything that's happened lately, I suppose there'll only be one of us worrying about a high-powered job."

The comfortable silence returned and was broken only when Faith heard the unmistakeable sound of booted feet, drawing nearer.

"They're coming," she said in a harsh whisper.

Ducking low, Miller and Faith waited until they saw the black-clad officers stroll past, side-by-side. They were talking quietly amongst themselves, weapons slung across their chests as they patrolled.

Once the oblivious pair had continued past Faith and Miller, the lieutenant gave a small signal with his hand and led the way out from behind the pipes, onto the concrete path.

"You take the right," he whispered, hurrying forward as they closed in on their targets.

Miller grabbed the gun of the left PK, using the strap to throttle him as his arms flailed uselessly. Before his colleague could even react, Faith delivered a swift kick to the back of the knee which brought him down into a crouch. Pulling up his gun and twisting it around, she rammed the butt of the weapon into the back of his head and sent him plummeting to the floor, unconscious.

Once Miller's PK had stopped resisting the lieutenant let him drop to the ground in a heap.

"Let's get these uniforms on," he said at once.

Together the pair stripped the PKs of their heavy black armour and put on the outfits themselves, Faith's being several sizes too large. Miller fit snugly into his own uniform, and after slipping on the helmet he gave Faith an assured thumbs-up and collected the fallen assault rifle.

Faith picked up her own weapon, alarmed at how familiar it felt in her grip, and together the pair made their way into the bowels of the Shard.

* * *

Amos and Kate stepped from the taxi and made their way through the imposing glass entrance to the Shard, stepping into the blue-tiled atrium with its dizzyingly high ceiling and dramatically sloping walls. A sign on their left directed them to the lift which would shuttle them up to the hotel lobby on Floor 70.

Stepping inside, the doors closed with a gentle thump and the pair caught a glimpse of themselves in a mirror on the back wall. Kate wore a pair of tight jeans and a billowing green blouse, her dark hair loose and with a heavy fringe. She also had thick-rimmed black glasses to conceal her appearance without looking as though she was _trying_ to be disguised. Amos meanwhile, had chinos and a red-checked shirt, his hair died black and a white mask covering his mouth. It was flu season after all, and such masks were not altogether uncommon in the City.

The doors pinged open and they stepped out into a dazzling white lobby. Up ahead, a glamourous receptionist stood behind a wide mahogany desk, flashing a set of pure white teeth in a merry smile.

"Hello and welcome to the Skyline Hotel," she began, "how may I help you?"

"We have a room booked," Kate explained, "under the name _Jones_."

The receptionist turned to her computer in a single smooth motion and after a series of clicks, found the information she needed.

"Ah yes, here it is. Please wait a moment while I retrieve your room key."

The receptionist glided into a back room and Amos and Kate shot each other a nervous expression, wondering whether their disguises would hold. Thankfully, the receptionist returned and willingly handed over the key card, wishing them a pleasant stay and directing them toward the lifts.

Riding up to floor 77, they stepped out once more into a hallway with plush cream carpets and deep red walls. Walking slowly along past dark wooden doors they searched for room 709. Upon finding it, Amos scanned the card and the pair stepped inside, Amos closing the door behind them. And then, for the first time in too long, niece and uncle breathed a sigh of relief.

"Here we are," Amos said wearily, as he tore off his mask and tossed it casually on the sumptuous bed. "Inside the dragon's den."

"I hate to admit it," Kate began, strolling over to the window as she removed her glasses and tucked them into her pants pocket, "but this view is quite spectacular."

From their vantage point they stood above almost every other building in the City, and could see for miles the ocean of glass and steel towers with their lights twinkling through the dark night.

"It certainly is," Amos sighed as he slumped into a chair. "Callaghan's dominion."

Kate sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her hair into its usual neat ponytail, a worried expression on her youthful face.

"So I guess we just wait now, huh?" she asked.

"9pm," Amos replied simply, checking his watch. "That's when we need to get in position."

There was a brief silence, heavy with anticipation, before Kate spoke up again.

"It feels like a prison, this place," she said.

"Hmm?" Amos looked up to meet his niece's fretful gaze.

"This is where they brought me for the transfer. I thought... I thought that was going to be the end of it, you know? That I'd spend my life in prison for someone else's crime, and that Faith would be killed. And being here... just brings it all back."

"Just remember," Amos began, pushing himself up from the chair, "you weren't alone then, and you're not alone now."

He pulled his niece into a tight embrace, and Kate buried her head in his shoulder.

They remained like that for a moment before Kate slowly pulled away, eyes red and moist with tears.

"Thank you," she managed.

"Well, I haven't been much of an uncle over the last ten years but maybe I can be a better one now."

"I'm just glad you're back," she said.

"So am I," he replied, smiling warmly.

* * *

Kreeg and Drake watched from afar as a PK unit stormed the empty _Raposa_ warehouse, which was set to be demolished and replaced by a series of uniform apartment blocks. They were preparing to raid a drugs lab using the warehouse as its base of operations, a cunning story employed by Drake as part of his and Kreeg's plan to nab a CityEye copter.

"Looks like they're buying it," Kreeg observed with satisfaction. "Perhaps you should be an actor."

Drake chuckled at the remark. He'd called PK with an anonymous tip-off and led them right into a blind alley, an act which gave him no small amount of pleasure. For once it was the Runners who controlled the game, and it was enough to shatter the illusion that PK were an all-powerful force of brutal authority.

"How do you think the others are doing?" Kreeg enquired as they watched the fake raid.

"I'm sure they can handle themselves," Drake replied with confidence.

The sound of rotor blades began to fill the air, and sure enough the CPF copter soon raced overhead, determined to cover the story they believed was unfolding inside the warehouse. Slowly the copter made contact with the warehouse roof and a trio of men climbed out, one hefting a camera, another wielding a sound mike and the third clutching a microphone. Together they made their way across the rooftop and through a door into the stairwell.

"You ready for this?" Kreeg asked, turning to Drake and cricking his neck.

"Just make sure you can keep up, pal," Drake retorted, a rare grin spreading across his angular face.

Rolling his shoulders and pacing on the spot, Kreeg gestured for the older Runner to take the lead.

"After you."

In a smooth yet powerful motion, Drake vaulted the metal railing and fell to the rooftop below, landing in a roll and coming up into a sprint. Kreeg was only two paces behind, matching his friend's every move. They scaled a ventilation system and darted along its length, leaping to clear a barbed wire fence before landing on a rattling metal gantry. It buckled under the weight of impact and continued to shake as the two heavy men charged along, bridging the gap between the previous building and the warehouse.

The gantry wrapped around the warehouse to the left but Drake kept moving straight ahead, scaling the wall and using a window ledge as a foot-hold as he pulled himself onto the roof. Kreeg followed close behind and together the pair crossed the immense roof space towards the parked copter, its rotors idle now. The pilot was enjoying a cigarette while admiring the view, and Kreeg was quick to sneak up and put him in a sleeper hold. The cigarette dropped to the ground with a flash of sparks, the pilot flailing wildly as he tried to escape Kreeg's mighty grip. Eventually his body went slack and Kreeg laid him gently on the ground before hurrying over to the copter and climbing into the cockpit. Drake was already fastening himself into the passenger seat, his gun drawn in the event of trouble.

"The tracker," he said as Kreeg took his own place. Reaching forward, Drake tore the tracker from beneath the dashboard in a tangle of wires, and tossed it through an open window onto the gravel-covered roof.

"Here we go," Kreeg proclaimed once he'd gotten settled.

He switched on the engine and the rotor whirred into life, a gentle hum growing into a deafening roar as it picked up speed. Pulling back firmly on the yoke, Kreeg brought the stolen copter into the air and it began to move forward, racing faster and faster above the roofs of building as it headed towards the mighty blue monolith at the heart of the City. The Shard was waiting for them.

* * *

The time had arrived and Amos and Kate exited the room, wearing their full disguises, and started to walk as casually as possible along the luxurious hallway. They passed a man in a bathrobe carrying a bucket of ice, his hair a mess and a serene expression on his slender face. He smiled pleasantly as they passed and disappeared into one of the rooms on the left. Another woman appeared shortly, stepping from the lift with a suitcase in one hand and a phone in the other. She was talking quickly and paid the duo no attention as she hurried past.

Eventually they came to the stairwell and went down two floors, stepping out into another well-appointed hallway.

"It's just along here," Amos mumbled as he busily scanned the room numbers. At once they found a door with no number, the single word _MAINTENANCE_ adorning its surface instead.

"Keep an eye out," Amos whispered, glancing left and right before opening the door and stepping into the small store room beyond. It was an unremarkable space with a series of mops and brushes stacked against one wall, and all manner of cleaning products resting on a shelf.

But Amos had no interest in that, his eyes fixed on the light rectangular seam in the far wall. Gently he hooked his fingers around the seam and pried the panel away, setting it carefully down beside him and kneeling to study what lay beyond. A thick jumble of wires and circuits running from top to bottom, with multi-coloured lights flashing all over. Calmly, and with rehearsed motions, he withdrew the hacking device from his jacket before connecting a cable into the wall.

With a glance over his shoulder Amos saw Kate pacing outside, pretending to text on her mobile but casting discrete glances up and down the hallway to make sure no-one was approaching. Satisfied that he was currently safe, Amos began typing on the compact device, brow furrowing in concentration as he went about his job. Working as a private investigator and as a PK employee had given him a respectable amount of computer knowledge, and while the task ahead of him was perfectly manageable, it was the time pressure that gave Amos a sick feeling in his stomach. If Faith and Miller had to wait too long that would only arouse suspicion and quickly blow their cover.

Thankfully a green notification soon flashed across his screen- the lift was working. Sighing deeply in relief, Amos unplugged the device and carefully replaced the panel on the wall. Tucking the device back into his jacket he exited the small room and closed the door with a soft thump.

"All sorted," he told Kate, who visibly relaxed as she heard. Together they made their way along the sumptuous hall, back to their hotel room.

* * *

Faith and Miller walked calmly yet quickly through the bowels of the Shard, riding a maintenance lift up to level 5 before making their way among offices filled with PK enforcers. Some observed the pair for longer than was necessary, but none made any move to stop them or question their motives. They were soon entering another lift and being whisked up to level 40, emerging into one of several shopping centres within the Shard.

 _All this city does is shop_ , Faith realised bitterly. _Must distract people from the real problems._

There were a few PKs milling about so they weren't out of place as they strolled along the fake Venician footpaths, designer shops lining the "street" on both sides. It was late at night so there weren't many people about, although Faith caught sight of a pair of fahionable women caked in make-up and admiring a shimmering red dress.

As she and Miller continued their walk they passed a coffee shop where people chatted easily or typed away on their laptops.

Rounding a corner they came to the lift that would escort them all the way to the server room, the beating heart of PK oppression in the City, and also the stage of PK's defeat. Standing in front of the lift, normally locked to public access, the pair waited, and waited. They did not look around to see if anyone was watching, instead remaining as calm as possible with hands resting loosely by their sides.

 _Come on, Amos_ , Faith thought desperately.

And then the doors slid open, Faith sighing in relief as she and Miller stepped inside. The doors closed and the lift began its rapid ascent.

Through the glass wall at the back of the lift, the dirty grey steel of the lift shaft soon gave way to spectacular views of the City, shimmering under the cover of night. Faith had seen this view once before, on her previous journey into the heavens to rescue her sister, and she was as afraid now as she was back then. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her palms were slick with sweat.

"That new route wasn't too bad," Miller commented, distracting Faith from her panicked thoughts. "PK seem to have their interests focused on more important levels of the building than the shopping centre."

"You know," Faith began, "the last time I stepped out from this lift you spoke to me and then there was silence. I thought you were dead, Miller."

He gave a heavy sigh, broad shoulders quivering as he did so.

"A couple of millimetres and I would have been," he said reflectively. "PK were fast, but luckily I was faster."

The lift slowed to a halt and the doors slid open, revealing the elegant form of Mayor Elaine Callaghan, flanked by a pair of heavy Pursuit Cops.

Callaghan's plump red lips curled into a cruel smirk.

"Well then," she said. "We meet at last."


	9. Warning Call

**A/N: And here's the next chapter! This one is something of a detour from the main story, but it's an idea I've wanted to include since the beginning. Those of you who played the Pure Time Trials may recognise a few things here! Hopefully the change won't be too jarring, and things are back on their usual course by the end of the chapter. Enjoy reading and let me know what you think! :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine: Warning Call**

Before Faith or Miller could react the PKs lashed out with their taser rods, sending both the Runner and the lieutenant slamming into the back wall of the lift. Faith slumped to the floor as she lost all sensation in her body, the world slipping in and out of focus.

She became vaguely aware that a PK was dragging her along the shiny white floor into an office, and there was someone else being dragged next to her. Miller?

Their body armour was roughly torn away and then Faith was tossed impassively onto a sofa. She managed to roll wearily onto her front to see a tall blonde figure in a crimson suit approaching. Slowly the figure came into focus and Faith made out the smug, glamourous face of Elaine Callaghan. Her entire body coiled and she moved to attack, only to be shoved back onto the sofa by the PK, his baton raised and ready to strike.

"Don't," Callaghan said calmly, quietly. The tone of a woman who believed she had already won.

"Even if you were to subdue me and escape, there's no place for you in this city any more."

"What are you talking about?" Faith tried to shout, but her vocal cords were still weak from the shock.

"The explosion at the Cherry Blossom Shopping Centre," Callaghan explained, carefully seating herself on the edge of a coffee table and leaning close towards Faith. Her dazzling green eyes were almost hypnotic, and Faith believed that within them she could feel the scope of this woman's ambition.

"You planted a bomb that killed 45 people and maimed countless others," Callaghan told her frankly.

"I was set up!" Faith attested, voice stronger now. She tried to rise once more, only to be shoved back down again by the Icarus member.

"The people of this city don't see it that way," Callaghan smirked.

"Mark Schonherr, he gave me that bomb," Faith explained, daring to meet the mayor's powerful gaze with a dangerous glare of her own. "The truth will get out eventually."

"Well," Callaghan said with a shrug, "I wouldn't know about that. For starters, it wasn't Schonherr who gave you the bomb, especially considering he's been exiled. It was us. And we have ample footage of you arriving, planting the bomb, and then fleeing the scene. And there's also..."

Her smile grew wider and Faith experienced a sharp twinge of panic.

"...There are also the bomb components and schematics found in Lieutenant John Miller's apartment. I doubt the public will need any more than that to piece their collective opinion together."

"Do you honestly believe you can control these people with fear and lies forever?" Faith snapped, balling her hands into fists.

"These people want to be controlled, so they'll accept whatever's easiest," Callaghan replied. "And now that all Runners are terrorists, we have free reign to crack down and wipe both you and your benefactors off the map. This city, _my city_ , will finally achieve greatness."

"People remember the old days, Callaghan," Faith retorted, still refusing to break her gaze away from the mayor. "However hard you try you can't keep this up forever."

"Well, you're not in a position to stop us," she chuckled. "And I doubt he is, either."

She cast a dismissive glance towards Miller, who lay unconscious on the tiled floor with one hand cuffed to a nearby radiator. The second PK stood guard over his limp form.

"I don't believe you're quite as arrogant as that," Faith said. "You wouldn't have gone to these lengths if you weren't worried about our potential."

"A credible argument," Callaghan conceded. "You know, for one of the uneducated under-class, you make for quite a spirited discussion."

"Thanks," Faith said with distaste.

"Don't be like that," Callaghan teased, rising gracefully to her feet and smoothing down her crimson suit. "You can still be a part of something important."

From within her jacket Callaghan withdrew a needle filled with luminous blue liquid. Faith didn't hesitate for a second, pouncing from the sofa and swinging a kick towards the mayor's hand. But as fast as she was, the PK was ready, diving between Faith and Callaghan and catching Faith's foot in mid-air. He shoved her back and off-balance, before launching a jab with the taser rod and pumping a flurry of volts into Faith's ribcage. Her entire body became slack and unresponsive, the PK moving to catch her as she fell. He set her back down on the sofa and Faith could only watch, motionless, as Callaghan approached with the syringe in hand. She plunged the tip into Faith's neck, forcing the blue liquid into her bloodstream, before withdrawing the needle and taking a step back. The expression of amusement on her face, mixed with one of professional curiosity, was the last thing Faith could recall before she fell into the darkness.

* * *

"Faith?"

The voice was enough to rouse her from slumber, Faith snapping her eyes open and scrambling frantically to her feet.

When she saw the world around her, she had to wonder if she was still asleep, under the influence of whatever drug Callaghan had administered. The reality she thought she knew was gone, replaced by a world of coloured shapes floating in mid-air. Vast angular blocks hung all around, yellow and white, expanding outwards in every direction.

Her heart was pounding and her entire body shook with fear. Taking a heavy breath, Faith squeezed her hands into tight fists and willed herself to calm down. This was a cruel trick on her mind, and she had to stay focused if she was to overcome it.

With careful motions she walked towards the edge of the vast white cube on which she had found herself, peering down tentatively. Far below was a sparkling blue ocean, unnaturally still and infinite, and giving her an unexpected sense of peace and tranquility.

Snapping out of her daze Faith took a step back, fervently scanning her surroundings for any sign of a way out. The Flow was everywhere and nowhere at once. Faith could see _how_ she could run, and yet she could not see _where_. There was no obvious beginning or end. She had arrived in the centre of this infinite, abstract reality. Even a maze could be solved eventually, though Faith suspected this dream landscape, or whatever it was, was not meant to be solved. It was meant to play with her mind, while Callaghan looked onwards and smirked.

"Faith Connors!" The voice was clearer now, and sterner. Turning to the source Faith saw Callaghan standing across from her, in the far corner of the great white cube. Her eyes flashed with delight, and her lips were tugging upwards in a smile.

"You can see me?" she asked, and Faith gave a stern nod of acknowledgment before stalking towards the elegant woman.

"This is Pulse," Callaghan started as Faith began walking faster and faster, breaking into a jog and then a sprint as she charged at the corrupt mayor.

"It's an experimental drug-" Callaghan continued passively, unfazed by the vengeful woman coming towards her.

"-designed as a form of pyschological training-"

Faith could feel the Flow, dropping into a slide and raising a leg to deliver a powerful kick into Callaghan's mid-section, enough to send the mayor tumbling from the cube into the ocean below. But Faith's leg did not make contact with any solid mass, instead passing effortlessly through Callaghan, who flickered and faded away.

With nothing to slow her momentum Faith slipped over the edge, frantically spinning and reaching out to grab the side before she fell into oblivion. Grunting in pain as she struck the side of the cube with her full force, Faith heaved herself back onto the top and quietly cursed at how easily she'd fallen for Callaghan's trap. Rising to her feet she looked up and saw the mayor again, now standing where Faith had been when she began her charge.

The cruel smirk had grown wider, and still she held herself with that smug assurance.

"Will you listen, please?" Callaghan said, her tone slightly amused but ultimately uncaring. Faith folded her arms defensively and gave a grunt of annoyance, walking slowly towards the woman in the crimson dress. Taking this as her cue, Callaghan resumed.

"You can train a Pursuit Cop for years, pore over streams of physical data and invest in the most cutting-edge technology. But if their mind is damaged then all that work is a waste."

"And this...place... repairs the damage, huh?" Faith enquired gruffly.

"It trains them, focuses them."

"It looks like a bad drug trip to me," Faith snapped, coming to a halt inches in front of the mayor, her eyes hostile and unblinking.

"The one advantage you Runners have held over PK so far is your total lack of concern for your own well-being. You take irrational risks, of which your little stunt atop the Shard was a prime example."

"Sorry I messed up your pretty tower," Faith said with an amused smirk of her own.

"Not to worry," Callaghan said, batting the comment away. Her entire form flickered as she moved, and Faith began to suspect that this mayor, much like the world around her, was not quite real. "Unfortunately those risks are what keep you ahead of PK, who have a greater sense of self-preservation."

"So this place is designed to help them grow some balls, huh?" Faith said.

Callaghan laughed at the remark, a hearty, overbearing sound.

"I suppose so," she conceded, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye. "But I don't want my PKs to be mindlessly killing themselves. No, this place is meant to train them to overcome their fears. But it is also meant to hone and heighten their sense of judgement. Once the mind is trained, then you have the ultimate weapon."

"Meant to hunt us down," Faith enquired.

"Yes," Callaghan replied simply, running a slender hand through her long blonde hair. "Although you can't claim to be surprised, Faith. The Runners have brought this upon themselves."

"Say whatever you want, Callaghan, but it's people like you who destroyed this city, long ago." Faith spoke with confidence and she refused to yield beneath the mayor's towering presence.

"It's your misplaced sense of self-righteousness that's destroying this city," Callaghan retorted. "But enough of that. I want to see how you cope under the influence of Pulse. This world is yours now, Faith, and I hope you enjoy it."

Callaghan didn't even bother to hide the maliciousness in her voice, her entire form beginning to waver.

"Goodbye, Faith."

The Runner watched with equal parts anger and discomfort as Callaghan's image faded entirely, leaving her alone in the bizarre landscape.

Pacing about the cube for a couple of minutes as she debated what to do next, Faith eventually steeled herself and cast her eyes up towards the clear blue sky. Callaghan wanted to see what she could do, and Faith would show her.

Breaking into a run she leapt from the cube and landed on another platform, performing a wall-run before leaping to grab a cool glass bar and swinging upwards. At the apex of her swing Faith released her grip and soared, landing on another cube and rushing ahead. She vaulted a block at the cube's furthest edge and landed on a steep downward slope, the sudden rush of air filling her lungs.

Before the slide sent her falling into the ocean below, Faith pushed away with her hands and feet, flying once more and landing along the side of a yellow cuboid.

She slid beneath a floating block, not losing a trace of momentum, before continuing ahead towards a high wall blocking her path. Scaling the wall Faith turned around and leapt onto another path, pumping her arms faster and faster. She was experiencing the Flow now like never before, acting upon instinct alone. There were no PKs to shoot her in this world, and although Faith knew this was Callaghan's prison, she still felt free. Perhaps what the mayor had intended to be a curse had become Faith's gift, a grin beginning to spread across her face as she ran. And ran.

* * *

Faith lost all track of time as she surrendered herself to the Flow, running, bounding and climbing across the ephemeral realm.

She was ascending a tower of floating shapes, running along a curved section of wall before jumping and pulling up onto a small block. Ahead and above there were more blocks, like stepping stones calling her forward. Faith ran up, higher and higher, before the blocks ran out and she was on a wide square platform. Looking around she could see no way to advance. The Flow had gone and Faith understood why. She had reached the top of this world.

Looking down she could truly see how vast it was, and she had no idea where she'd arrived or how far she'd come. The spectacle left Faith feeling short of breath, and she took a step back to calm herself, before deciding what to do next.

"Faith," a voice called out softly. It was not Callaghan's voice, but another, one so familiar and unexpected that her heart skipped a beat.

Turning to the source Faith set her eyes upon a face she had not seen for a long time.

"Mom," she said in barely more than a whisper.

"Hello, Faith." The late Erika Connors stood before her at the peak of the world, wearing an elegant white dress, her soft dark hair tied neatly into a bun. She gave a warm smile, brown eyes lighting up as she did so. Her face was lined with a few creases, evidence of wisdom and of a life lived fully. And yet there was still a youthful excitement present in those delicate features, a joyous energy that would never dampen with age.

Before she could even pause to think, Faith ran towards her long-lost mother and went to take her in a deep embrace. But as she reached out Faith's arms passed right through her mother's slender form, Erika flickering away and disappearing. Faith took a step back, confused and scared as tears began to burn her eyes. And then Erika appeared again off to the left, a sympthetic expression on her face.

"This isn't real, Faith," she explained slowly. "This is what your mind has made."

"But mom..." Faith trailed off, shaking her head in despair. "But you're here, I can see you."

"I'm in your mind, Faith," Erika continued in that same calm, soothing tone. "You're not seeing me, you're just remembering."

Faith wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffled, looking away in embarrassment.

"Why are you here?" she asked defensively.

"Because you wanted me here, a comforting presence to help lead you out."

"Well... thank you for coming," Faith managed.

"Always."

There was a sudden faint buzzing sound filling the air. Erika began to flicker and Faith became aware of a slight trembling in the ground beneath her feet. A soft white glow was spreading, like a heavy fog enveloping everything in its path. It drew ever nearer, consuming the floating shapes, the blue sky and the sparkling sea. It consumed Erika and before Faith could cry out in anguish it swallowed her as well.

* * *

She woke with a start and rose to her feet, searching desperately for her mother. Faith was still inside the dream world, only it was different now. The layout was different, she could tell, and the bright yellows had been replaced with bold reds. Continuing to scan her surroundings she quickly found her mother, standing patiently with that same affectionate smile. Approaching quickly, Faith asked "so how do I get out of here?" Her voice quivered slightly as she spoke those words.

"By doing what you always do," Erika replied. "By running."

"But that isn't enough," Faith pleaded. "I climbed that tower and I'm still here-" She trailed off as she caught sight of something behind her mother. A shimmering glass panel hovering inches above the bright red cube on which she stood. Moving towards the panel, Faith's eyes began to slowly widen in alarm. She came to a stop directly in front of it, resting her hands against its cool, smooth surface. Her mother was by her side, studying the panel as well.

"No reflection," she said distractedly. And she was right. The panel cast no reflections, and yet she could still see something through it that was not meant to be there. It was the Shard, the room in which Callaghan was holding her, appearing as a faint and distant image through the panel. And Faith could tell from the angle of the image that she was viewing the room through her own eyes. An image of the real world, projected into a corner of this dream landscape.

"Miller."

The lieutenant was awake now, kneeling beside the radiator as Callaghan addressed him, a PK by her side. He was angry and tried to stand, only to be met by a taser blast that sent him reeling to the ground. Callaghan smoothed down her suit and strolled away from the lieutenant, out of Faith's field of vision. The second PK was still by her side, taser rod gripped tightly in his gloved hand. When she woke up, Faith knew she would have to act fast.

"Faith." Her mother spoke up again, her tone startling Faith who quickly spun to face her. The serene expression was gone, replaced by growing horror, those soft brown eyes wide and moist with tears. Her mother's body was trembling, Faith taking a step back in alarm.

"Faith, you need to run," she pleaded.

"What?"

"Faith, look."

The Runner spun to look where her mother was pointing, seeing what had made the elder woman so afraid. The shapes which made up the world had begun to fall, plummeting into the sea far below.

"Faith, you need to run!" Erika shouted, before vanishing. Faith was alone. The wave of falling shapes rushed nearer, and Faith needed no further prompting. She turned on her heel and ran, as fast as she could, leaping from one block to the next, climbing, sliding and rolling to get as far away from the collapse as she could. But no matter how much she embraced the Flow she couldn't escape those falling blocks.

Faith sprang from a small cube and reached out, grabbing an overhead bar and swinging high. She released her grip and soared through the air, pulling up onto another cube and running forward. On her right was a vertical panel suspended above the nothingless.

Faith broke into a wall-run, hurrying along its length to try and reach the other side. But as she ran the panel collapsed as she was forced to dive clumsily towards the red cube at the far end. Landing in a painful roll, Faith staggered to her feet before collapsing against a nearby wall, her chest rising and falling as she struggled for breath.

"Stand up, Faith." It was Erika, standing before her, a determined expression on her face. "You need to stand up."

"I can't," Faith managed between breaths, shaking her head despondently.

"But Faith, you need to run." Her tone was stern and yet caring, just as Faith remembered.

"There's no point," Faith mumbled, eyes cast downwards. "Running away never solved anything."

"But Faith," Erika continued assuredly, a hint of amusement now underlining her words. "I never said anything about running _away_."

All at once Faith's gaze darted upwards, wide eyes meeting her mother's loving smile.

"Good luck, Faith."

And with that she was gone.

With renewed drive to overcome the obstacles placed in her path, Faith rose to her feet and took a deep, cleansing breath. And then she ran. But rather than running away from the falling shapes, she ran towards them. Leaping from the edge of the cube Faith fell, letting gravity take hold as she plummeted faster and faster towards the sea below, joining the shapes in their rushing descent. This whole world was meant to help PKs overcome fear, Faith understood at last. It was a fear of falling that overwhelmed them, and there was no better way to defeat that fear than by facing it. As she fell, Faith kept her eyes fixed on the sparkling water below, readying herself for the impact.

And then she hit the water's surface...

* * *

...And awoke with a start.

Sitting upright on the plush sofa she heard the PK swear in shock, turning to see him bringing the taser towards her in a jab. Seizing the rod with her left hand Faith delivered a quick, powerful jab to the man's throat with her right fist, enough to stun him and send him staggering backwards.

"Get her!" Callaghan screeched at the second PK, pointing desperately at Faith as she retreated in alarm.

Readying his taser rod the man in black surged forwards, clearing the table in a single leap and bringing his weapon to bear on Faith. Except Faith was prepared. Grabbing his arm and turning inwards, she used the PK's momentum against him, flipping him over a shoulder and onto his back. He struck the floor with a pained grunt, and Faith, still holding his outstretched arm in a tight grip, delivered a sharp kick that sheared the taser rod directly from his wrist. She then plunged the rod directly into his chest, the man jolting from the shock before falling limp.

Holding the weapon in a white-knuckled grip, Faith turned to Callaghan with fury in her eyes. The mayor scrambled for cover behind the one remaining PK, who was still struggling to catch his breath. Not wasting a second Faith charged forward, springing over the table and closing the gap between them in seconds. The slightly disoriented PK swung outwards with his taser rod in a desperate attempt to stop Faith's advance, but the Runner had other plans. She dropped into a slide, passing cleanly underneath the PK's attack, before delivering a sharp kick to his groin. There was a muffled grunt of pain and he fell into a kneeling position, Faith rising smoothly to her feet and bringing the taser down on the side of his head. He collapsed to the tiled floor and the path to Callaghan was clear.

"Well... look at you now," the mayor said nervously, wringing her hands together and flashing a crooked smile. She swallowed thickly as Faith stepped over the comatose PK and brought the weapon to bear.

"You can't win," Callaghan tried to assert, holding up her hands in a flimsy defence.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Faith replied smugly, before jabbing the rod into Callaghan's mid-section. She twitched like a puppet cut from its strings before tumbling to the floor.

Faith observed her still form a moment, savouring the sight of a former god-like figure crumpled at her feet.

"Faith, thank goodness!" Miller called from across the room, breaking Faith from her reverie.

Turning, Faith saw him still handcuffed to the radiator and hurried over.

"The guns," he explained, nodding to a nearby desk. Sure enough, Miller's twin pistols were resting idly on the desk, Faith rushing to pick them up. She handed one back to the lieutenant before shouting "hang on!" and lining up a shot with the other. Miller braced himself as Faith fired, shearing the handcuffs and freeing the lieutenant from the radiator. He rose to his feet with a pained grunt and accepted the second pistol, before surveying the room around them.

"I don't know how you did it, Faith," he said with admiration.

"Well, I had help," Faith replied vaguely, enjoying the confusion that flashed across Miller's chiselled features. "Come on, it's time to move."

Putting their PK disguises back on, the pair made their way across the room and back into the lift, Miller thumbing the button for the top floor. It was time to end this.


	10. The Fight Within

**A/N: Hello everyone! We only have this chapter and then two more left to go now. I hope you've been enjoying it, and that you continue to enjoy it as all the action really kicks off. My OCs (Amos, along with my utterly non-canon interpretations of Pirandello and Kruger) are obviously very prominent now, and hopefully they fit with the tone of the story and the world of Mirror's Edge. Feedback on this would be much appreciated! Anyway, on with the story! :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Ten: The Fight Within**

Arthur Pirandello marched along the brightly lit hallway, flanked by an elite team of PK officers. His gaze was set on the glass-walled office at the hallway's end, where Kruger could be seen chatting with one of the researchers, his flabby features moulded into a jovial smile. He caught sight of Pirandello's approach with a side-long glance, before rolling his eyes heavily and returning to the conversation.

Reaching the glass door Pirandello swung it open and stepped inside, advancing on Kruger in a matter of seconds and towering above his repellent associate.

"Arthur, you seem tense," Kruger teased, offering the researcher an apologetic smile before turning his full attention to Pirandello. "Perhaps we should sit down, hmm?"

Kruger gestured towards a sofa and made his way over, sagging with a pleasurable sigh into the plush red upholstery. Pirandello remained rooted to the spot, muscular hands balled into fists at his side. Kruger noticed this impassively and spoke again.

"Won't you join me?" he offered, tapping a flabby palm on the seat next to him.

"You know damn well why I'm here, Kruger!" Pirandello thundered at last, jabbing an accusing finger at the other man. The researcher, having clearly felt the mounting tension, slowly made his way past the guards and out the door, leaving the two formidable businessmen to fight it out alone.

"You're here to supervise the security operation, I assume? Since you activated that kill switch- and bravo for your quick judgement, by the way- this building has become a top priority target for the undesirables." Kruger seemed happy with his answer and slumped back comfortably on the sofa.

"No, Kruger," Pirandello snapped, coming up next to Kruger in a single stride. "I'm here because your damn Icarus guys are running amok in the city. I've already passed four of them in this building alone."

"They're needed," Kruger replied with a casual shrug.

"The hell they are! I specifically forbid their use on moral, not to mention practical, grounds and you went ahead with the project anyway. I'm here to detain you, Kevin."

With a quick signal from Pirandello, the officers raised their weapons and approached Kruger, forming a tight semi-circle around the man. He clucked his tongue in amusement before rising from the sofa and smoothing down his suit. "Arthur, you ignorant bastard," he said. "You think you hold all the power, don't you? But then again, that's the way you've always thought. Why, it must be instinct by now."

"You can't talk your way out of this, Kevin," Pirandello retorted. "Best to step down with some dignity for once."

Kruger laughed at the remark, a sneer forming on his thick lips.

"Listen to me, Arthur," he said, resting a hand on the other man's shoulder. He seemed completely unconcerned that he had to reach up to do so. "You think you've got your winning charm, your power, your influence. You think you won that argument back at HQ."

Confusion flashed across Pirandello's face for a brief moment, though he was quick to mask it behind indignation.

"I let you think those things, Arthur," he said. "Because I knew it would make this whole thing so much easier."

He turned to the nearest officer and gave a curt nod.

"Do it."

Pirandello could only watch in horror as the entire group of PKs slowly turned and levelled their weapons at him, Kruger stepping back to enjoy the spectacle.

"These were never your people, Arthur," he continued, sounding almost giddy now. "You only wanted to believe they were. Officers, put him away somewhere. I don't want to see that pretty face again for a while."

One of the PKs jabbed the muzzle of his gun into the small of Pirandello's back, forcing him to start moving. As he was being escorted from the office, Pirandello managed a quick glance over his shoulder.

"You can't win, Kruger," he snarled. "And you know it!"

He received another jab, more forceful this time, as a reward for speaking out of line.

Kruger chuckled to himself as he watched the handsome blonde man being led away. Once Pirandello had disappeared from view, he sat down at his desk with a grunt. There was work to be done.

* * *

The lift doors pinged open and Faith and Miller, in full PK uniform, stepped out. The server room was in chaos, technicians bustling everywhere to try and get the systems back online. There was also a heavy PK presence, no doubt in response to the fact that Pirandello had triggered the kill switch, a mechanism that could only be reset from the Shard.

Spent bullet casings from her previous visit lay everywhere, Faith kicking some away with a booted foot as she and Miller approached the server stacks. They were a mess of twisted, charred metal and sparking electronics, yet some of the lights still flickered valiantly, determined to keep the City running as best as possible.

"Is this your handiwork?" Miller said under his breath, equal hints of amusement and satisfaction in his voice.

"Mostly," Faith replied. "Though some trigger happy PKs can be blamed for part of it."

They walked among the crowds, carefully dodging technicians and officers while trying to avoid suspicion.

"Hey, you two!" The stern male voice called out from behind, Faith and Miller slowly coming to a halt before turning to address it.

"Everything all right?" Miller asked with curiosity and mild annoyance.

The man approaching them wore heavier armour and was carrying a light machine gun, golden bullets glistening on the feed belt. He'd removed his helmet, revealing a wide, sculpted face with a thick nose, shaved head and meticulously groomed moustache. This man was clearly in charge.

"What are your IDs?" he demanded, shifting the weapon slightly in his grip.

"Our IDs," Miller asked innocently. "Well, let's see..."

He cast his gaze upwards for a moment, as if in deep thought, then with a single smooth motion he brought his rifle to bear and pulled the trigger. The bullet passed directly through the officer's heart and he fell to the ground, dead. Before anyone could respond Miller fired another bullet towards the ceiling, piercing a smoke detector and triggering the alarms. Sprinklers came on all above them, showering the room and obscuring everyone's vision.

Tearing a grenade from her belt, Faith pulled the pin and tossed it towards a group of confused officers. It landed at their feet and exploded in a flash, throwing the officers into the air in a hail of fire and rubble.

Panicked screams rose up as the technicians scrambled for the lift, ducking low as they tried desperately to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

"Get them!" one of the PKs barked, raising his weapon at Faith and Miller. The pair fell into cover behind a server as bullets peppered the air around them and blasted the server, throwing shards of sparking metal overhead. Miller carefully leaned out and tossed another grenade, hearing the pained screams as it exploded. Moving to the other side of the server Faith raised her weapon and squeezed off a couple of shots, hitting one PK in the leg and another in the shoulder. She was forced to duck behind cover again as several more PKs took notice and opened fire.

The sound of alarms still pounded in her ears, and Faith's entire uniform was drenched by the relentless showers of water from above.

Her finger tightened on the trigger and she braced herself for the arrival of more PKs.

"Faith, on my count!" Miller shouted over the sirens, his eyes flashing with grim determination. Raising threee fingers, he counted down to one before balling his hand into a fist and rising quickly, stepping out from the relative cover of the server. Faith broke her own cover and together the pair opened fire on the advancing PKs, who attempted to conceal themselves before lining up shots in retaliation. But the Runner and police lieutenant were fast, killing a total of four officers before the remainder started to organise themselves. Sliding back into cover to reload their assault rifles, Faith and Miller prepared a second assault as a grenade exploded behind them, shredding the server. Sparks and shards of metal filled the air, Faith collapsing to the ground to shield herself.

When she rose and the smoke had cleared, she found that the server had been completely destroyed, leaving them utterly exposed to attack.

"Run!" Miller shouted as the officers opened fire, the pair dashing for cover behind a thick metal pillar. Yet no bullets reached them and Faith became confused as she and Miller ducked into cover. Exchanging wary glances, they tentatively peered out and saw the PKs opening fire, but their shots were directed elsewhere. Following their collective line of sight, Faith laid eyes on someone who filled her with a sense of relief only two other people could bring.

Standing atop a high walkway, Drake was firing upon the PK officers with a light machine gun, his teeth bared and green eyes flaring with rage.

"Miller, we need to cover him!" Faith ordered, Miller nodding his agreement. Together they leaned out from behind the pillar and started firing, the officers falling rapidly. Once the final PK had succumbed to the volley of bullets, Faith and Miller slumped against the pillar, both panting from exertion.

"Faith, get to the reset switch," Miller ordered.

"Right," Faith agreed, clapping the lieutenant on the shoulder before hurrying up the stairs to the walkway.

"Hey, kid," Drake said in greeting as she approached. The machine gun was held tightly across his chest, muzzle pointing downwards.

"Drake, what are you doing here?" Faith enquired, not bothering to mask the smile on her face.

"Lending a hand, even though it looks like you can handle yourself," he said, nodding towards the carnage all around them.

"Well, it's good to see you," Faith replied.

"Yeah, you too. But listen, Faith. Kreeg says more PKs are coming, so you need to get to the reset switch. I'll stay here with Miller and provide cover."

"Okay," Faith nodded. "Good luck."

"You too."

Faith broke into a jog, climbing the rest of the stairs towards the control room as Miller came to join Drake on the walkway.

Removing his helmet and mask, he ran a hand through his messy white hair before addressing the eldest Runner.

"Thank you," he grumbled.

"Not a problem," Drake shrugged in reply.

Before their awkward conversation could resume the lift pinged open and a whole group of PKs poured out. The man at the front was hefting a rocket launcher, and before Drake or Miller could react he dropped into a crouch and lined up a shot. The rocket fired with a flash and a hiss of smoke, tearing across the room and colliding with the walkway in a deafening explosion. Drake and Miller were thrown to the ground, Miller losing his weapon in the tumble.

The pair dragged themselves behind servers for cover as the walkway collapsed around them.

Angry shouts and the heavy thudding of booted feet drew rapidly nearer, and Miller desperately scanned the rubble-strewn surroundings for any sign of his weapon.

"Shit!" he rasped when he realised that it was missing, panic starting to take hold.

"Miller," Drake called gruffly from his crouched position behind another server. Looking up, Miller saw the muscular Runner with a pistol in his hand. He tossed the weapon into the air, Miller watching as it soared in an arc, before catching it deftly and pulling back the hammer. The pair exchanged a nod of understanding before rising to their feet, breaking cover and opening fire.

* * *

At the top of the stairs Faith shed her heavy armour, knowing that its weight would slow her down too much when it came time to evacuate.

Glancing around, she saw rows of computers but no sign of the central controller Miller had described. Stepping through a translucent glass door on her left, Faith entered a darkened room and flicked on the lights. Banks of computers lined both walls and at the far end of the room was a massive black machine, its surface smooth and polished, with small coloured lights flashing all over. Massive fans were spinning rapidly in a desperate attempt to cool the great machine, their droning sound filling the air around her. Beyond the machine, floor-to-ceiling windows looked down upon the entire City which stretched into the horizon.

Faith approached lightly and accessed the built-in computer panel, following the instructions Miller had given her earlier.

Typing in _syscontrol_ she brought up a list of processes, scrolling down for the one she wanted. And there it was, in small green letters at the very bottom of the list.

 _sysreset_.

Faith clicked Enter without hesitation and the screen went blank, the lights in the room flickering off for a moment before coming back on. She continued to watch the vacant screen with nervous anticipation, listening to the sound of her own heartbeat thundering in her ears. Eventually the screen came back on and a progress bar displayed 0%.

Then 1%.

2%.

Faith breathed an audible sigh of relief and let her entire body relax. It was working.

By the time the bar read 98% she was holding the pen drive in a tight grip, ready to upload the files for all the City to see.

99%.

100%.

 _System Reset Complete. All Networks Online._

Faith inserted the pen drive and opened the file as someone grabbed her from behind and threw her across the room. Colliding with a desk she rolled painfully to the floor, struggling to look up as the white-clad figure approached. And then she saw those blue eyes, peering out from behind a white mask.

"Celeste!" she said in horror.


	11. This Is Our City

**A/N: Ooh, it's all hitting the fan now! Hope you've enjoyed reading this, because I've certainly enjoyed writing it (even in spite of a couple of prolonged absences near the start). I was glad to bring everything back to the Shard because I think it's an awesome setting for the big finish, but I apologise if things are a little too familiar for some people. Hopefully I can still manage to surprise you. Anyway, on with the story! :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven: This Is Our City**

Pirandello sat in the small, empty office, glaring at the smooth white walls as he reflected upon his failure. How had he allowed that slimy bastard Kruger to gain the upper hand? Balling his hands tightly into fists, he took a heavy breath and turned to the door, seeing the two PK guards assigned to keep him under watch. They were standing either side of the open doorway, weapons held tightly across their chests with their backs to Pirandello.

They had always been _his_ people, and he had been their benevolent leader, the man who elevated PK to higher standards and who forged a key alliance with Elaine Callaghan. Seeing them now, their former loyalty not even a memory, Pirandello was overcome by indignant rage. Rising quickly from the small office chair, the only item of furniture in the room aside from an empty filing cabinet, he stalked efficiently towards the door.

This would require decisive action, Pirandello thought as he readied to strike. No room for hesitation.

Stepping through the open doorway he delivered a fierce kick to the back of the right PK's knee, sending the man tumbling into a crouch. Wrenching the assault rifle from the fallen man's grip, Pirandello pumped three bullets into the left PK who slumped heavily against the wall. He then brought the butt of the weapon down on the remaining PK, connecting forcefully with the back of his head and knocking him out cold.

Gritting his teeth, Pirandello glowered at the traitors before looking up and down the hallway. There was no-one else around, which meant that his path to Kruger was clear. Assault rifle in hand, Pirandello broke into a vigorous jog with revenge the only thing on his mind.

* * *

Faith pushed away from the desk as Celeste moved in with a flying kick. The attack missed her head by inches and the blonde woman collided with the desk instead, tumbling backwards and barely managing to shift into a roll. Faith swung a punch that Celeste caught in a gloved hand before delivering a vicious headbutt, stars flashing across Faith's vision as she staggered backwards. Moving in quickly, Celeste swung a roundhouse kick that Faith ducked beneath. As she finished the kick her back was to Faith, who seized the opportunity to deliver a jumping kick of her own. The strike connected solidly with Celeste's masked head and the former Runner faltered, clearly dazed. Faith swept her legs out from beneath her and Celeste fell, landing on her front with Faith pouncing onto her back and pinning her down. Rolling the blonde woman over, Faith tried to tear off the mask, only for Celeste to bat her hands away before taking Faith's head in both of hers. She brought the younger woman's head down and delivered another fierce headbutt, stunning Faith completely and allowing her enough time to raise both legs and kick the Runner away.

As Faith struggled back to her feet Celeste was already charging towards her, swinging her arm forwards in a sharp punch. Faith deflected the blow with a forearm, countering with a rapid uppercut that struck the former Runner beneath the chin, where the protective mask was at its weakest. Grunting in pain, Celeste's head snapped backwards and she wobbled unsurely, before regaining her focus in time to catch another blow that Faith had prepared. Grabbing her former friend with both hands, Celeste slammed Faith against the wall, the force of impact expelling the air from Faith's lungs. Celeste drove forward with a jab, Faith dropping low just in time to evade it, and listening to the pained sound as her fist met the solid wall instead. Dust and mortar rained down on Faith as Celeste tried to pry her hand free, Faith using the opportunity to slip behind the white assassin and press a hand to the back of her head. With all the strength she could muster, Faith slammed Celeste's face into the wall, the impact leaving a crater as more rubble tumbled to the ground. Feeling as the other woman stopped resisting, Faith released her grip and watched as Celeste tumbled to the floor, her trapped hand pulling free as she fell.

Panting heavily and wincing in pain, Faith limped back towards the computer and prepared to upload the files.

"Don't do it," a voice wheezed from behind her, Faith turning back to see Celeste pushing herself up on shaking arms. "Damn it, Faith! You always were so damn naive."

"Don't lecture me, Celeste. Not after everything you've done." Faith's tone was brutal and uncompromising, and she promptly turned back to the screen.

"PK rule this city, Faith," Celeste asserted, using a nearby desk for balance. "You upload those files and you'll destroy them. The City will fall apart, and we'll have the November Riots all over again. How many more family members do you want to lose?"

In a flash, Faith's head snapped back towards her former friend, eyes wide in fury and nostrils flaring.

"Don't you dare..." she said in a fierce whisper, wanting nothing more than to charge across the room and beat the crap out of Celeste. But that would be playing into the other woman's hands, so Faith willed herself to relax before returning her attention to the screen, intent on completing the mission.

Selecting all the files- video, audio and text documents alike- she clicked UPLOAD. The progress bar filled in less than a second and a green message flashed across the screen.

 _Files uploaded._

It was done. Lips curling up into a smile, Faith stepped away from the computer and addressed her struggling counterpart.

"It's over, Celeste," she declared.

"Damn it, Faith!" Celeste rasped, still leaning heavily against the desk. "You have no idea what you've done."

"I know exactly what I've done," Faith assured her. "The world needs to see PK for who they truly are."

"But they rule this city," Celeste spat. "You take down PK and we lose all semblance of public order. Is that really what you want?"

She struggled to look up, watering eyes glaring at Faith with uncontrolled resentment. Whatever friendship they may have had was gone now, and Faith felt a twinge of sadness before steeling herself.

"We need the system to break down if we're going to fix this," Faith replied from across the room, her tone confident. "It took public chaos to start this mess, and it'll take the same to end it."

"I don't get it, Faith," Celeste pleaded. "Why couldn't you just accept things the way they are? Why couldn't you just accept this world and choose to live, rather than merely survive?"

Faith gave a casual shrug at the remark before responding. "I'd still be running away, Cel. I'd just have a fat City paycheck to help me forget."

She turned to leave the room but Celeste called her back once more.

"So you can honestly say you're okay with everything that's going to happen? Riots in the streets, Faith. Just like the last time."

Faith paused a moment, staring up towards the ceiling before turning her attention back to Celeste and answering.

"If that's what it takes to shatter the illusion then yeah, I'm okay with it." There was a thoughtful pause before she spoke again.

"Oh, one more thing. If you believe that PK are truly the saviours of this city, then maybe you should take a look at some of the files."

With that she turned on her heel and calmly walked from the room, not bothering to look back again.

* * *

"Are you ready?" Amos enquired as he checked his disguise in the mirror.

"Yeah," Kate replied as she emerged from the bathroom wearing her oversized sunglasses.

"We just need to stay calm and walk out the way we came in, okay?"

"Right," Kate nodded with conviction, and the pair observed each other in silence a moment. Slowly they moved into an affectionate hug, uncle and niece reunited after so many tumultuous years, before Amos pulled away.

"Let's go," he said, before leading the way to the door. Opening it, the pair were startled to find some very unwelcome visitors. An overweight man in a tight black suit blocked their path, flanked by two PKs with light machine guns.

"Kruger," Amos managed, trembling slightly.

"I was just about to knock," Kruger said in a mocking tone. "It's good to finally meet you, Amos Connors."

Swallowing thickly, Amos willed himself to stay calm and hold his ground.

"How can I help you, Mr Kruger?" he asked blankly.

"Well," Kruger chuckled, itching his flabby neck. "You can explain what you and your niece were doing accessing the mainframe." He stood with a passive expression, awaiting the nervous Amos's response.

"A case of mistaken identity, perhaps?" Amos offered, as innocently as he could manage.

Kruger laughed at the remark, before shaking his head in disapproval.

"Don't piss me off, Connors. I've dug up everything there is to know on you, and it's enough to ruin your life, and hers." He nodded towards Kate who was stood defensively behind her uncle.

Before Amos could respond a pair of gunshots rang out and the two PKs slumped heavily to the floor, unmoving. Kruger slowly registered what had happened before looking around in frantic alarm. Staggering back from the door and almost tripping over his fallen officers, his eyes rapidly scanned his surroundings for any sign of the shooter.

And they quickly settled upon a very familiar face.

Arthur Pirandello was stalking along the hallway with an assault rifle in his grip, luxuriant blonde hair in disarray and face set in a heavy scowl.

"Arthur!" Kruger managed, flashing Amos a pleading glance before stumbling back away from his vengeful business partner.

Pirandello covered the distance between them in a matter of seconds, towering over Kruger and freezing the overweight man in his tracks. Paralysed with fear, Kruger could only watch wide-eyed as Pirandello levelled the rifle at his head.

"You shouldn't have turned them against me," he snarled, before pulling the trigger. Kate muffled a scream as the back of Kruger's head exploded in a shower of blood and he collapsed to the floor.

Watching the body impassively for a moment, Pirandello slowly turned to Amos and raised his weapon again.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded, but before Amos could reply Pirandello's eyes flashed with recognition.

"Wait a minute..." he furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "You're Amos Connors," he stated slowly, and Amos took a wary step back.

"I've been keeping an eye on you for a while, Connors," Pirandello explained, holding the weapon steady. "Ever since I realised who was in your family."

"So I guess... this isn't necessary anymore?" Amos said, slowly removing the flu mask disguise and addressing Pirandello stoically.

Chuckling, the security enforcer leaned slightly closer to the pair, the barrel of his weapon now inches from Amos's face.

"I left you alone, Connors, because I couldn't find anything to tie you to that Runner, and besides, you were a good employee. But to see you here with Kruger, well, that changes things."

"It isn't what you think, Pirandello," Amos pleaded, holding up his hands defensively.

"It never is," Pirandello quickly retorted, readying the weapon. "You're one of Kruger's co-conspirators, so no-one will bat an eyelid if I shoot you right now. And then I'll be sure to take care of your two dear nieces."

Amos's eyes bulged in their sockets and without thinking he rushed forward, batting the rifle aside and landing a vicious punch on the side of Pirandello's face. The tall man staggered and dropped the gun, Amos seizing him in a fierce tackle and ramming him against the far wall, which crumbled under the impact.

Pirandello collapsed in a daze and Amos marched towards a nearby fire extinguisher, picking it up and preparing to deliver a finishing blow. But Pirandello rolled over and hooked a foot around Amos's leg, the elder Connors falling painfully onto his back and dropping the fire extinguisher with a clang of metal. Pirandello rose and readied a kick to Amos's ribs as Kate rammed into him shoulder-first. Pirandello staggered back a step before punching Kate in the face and sending her to the floor. As she clutched her face in pain he grabbed her leg with both hands, picking her up and swinging her around, before releasing his grip and letting her crash into the far wall.

Amos was back on his feet by this point, rushing forward to land a punch, and then another, before raising his forearm to block one of Pirandello's attacks.

Ducking beneath another of the blonde man's swings, he threw a punch that connected with Pirandello's gut, the contractor doubling over as the air was forced from his lungs. Grabbing his attacker's head with both hands, Amos rammed a knee into Pirandello's face, feeling his nose break under the impact.

With a roar of pain and fury, Pirandello swung out and hit Amos's face with a back-handed slap so powerful it sent him flying through the open door of the bedroom. Amos landed on the floor and looked up to see Pirandello stalking towards him, managing to roll over just in time to avoid a boot to the face. He raised a leg and managed to kick the other man in the groin, Pirandello recoiling as his face contorted in pain. Rolling over backwards, Amos came up in a stand and took a defensive posture as Pirandello tackled him, rushing across the room and slamming him against the bay window. Glass fractured behind Amos, the window barely holding in place. As Pirandello stepped back from the tackle Amos was ready, delivering an almighty uppercut that sent the big man's head rocking backwards.

Using the brief respite to grab a lamp from the adjacent table, Amos swung out, landing a heavy blow on the side of Pirandello's head and sending him tumbling to the ground. Rushing forward to deliver another blow, he saw that the other man's eyes were closed, his entire body slack. Slowly, and with great caution, Amos knelt down and pressed two fingers to the side of Pirandello's thick neck. A vague pulse confirmed he was still alive.

Rising to his feet, Amos tossed the bloody lampshade on the bed before hurrying out into the hallway where Kate was rising unsteadily.

"Kate, are you okay?" Amos cried as he helped his youngest niece to her feet.

"Yeah, yeah," she managed, bringing a shaking hand to the bloody wound on the side of her head. "I think Pirandello got the better of me," she added with a weary smile.

"Well, he damn near got the better of me as well," Amos offered. "And you're sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, just a little dizzy," Kate insisted, meeting his fretful gaze. "But I'm ready to get out of here."

"Well," Amos continued reluctantly. "It seems our disguises are meaningless now, so walking out the front door isn't an option. We need to head to the roof and catch up with Faith and the others."

Kate's eyes widened in alarm as Amos took her hand and began running along the hallway.

"I'm still wirelessly connected to the mainframe," he explained breathlessly as they came to the lift, before swiftly removing the hacking device from his jacket. "Which means we can get upstairs."

Typing rapidly, he soon managed to open the doors and the pair stepped inside, pacing nervously as the doors slid shut and the ascent began.

Soon they were gazing out over the City shrouded by night, before the lift began to slow and then come to a complete stop. They emerged into a scene of utter carnage, dead PKs lying everywhere, the room covered with spent bullet casings, and sparks and dark plumes of smoke erupting from the twisted remains of the server stacks. From behind one of the stacks two powerfully-built men appeared, weapons primed on Amos and Kate. A sharp flash of panic was soon replaced by recognition, as Amos realised who the men were.

"Miller!" he breathed, entire body sagging in relief.

"Amos, Kate, thank goodness you're okay!" Miller responded, holstering his weapon and rushing to join the new arrivals. Drake did the same, but kept a cautious eye on the lift behind them.

"What are you doing here?" Miller enquired, a relieved grin starting to spread across his face.

"Kruger figured out who I was," Amos explained curtly. "There was no way we could just exit through the front door, so we had no choice but to come up here."

"Well, I'm glad you both made it," Drake added with a light smile of his own. "But there'll be more PKs coming soon so we need to move."

"Alright," Kate said with a nod of affirmation.

Drake led the way amongst the carnage before ascending the stairs to the control rooms above. As the group rounded a corner they encountered Faith walking towards them, a determined expression on her face.

"Faith!" Kate cried, pushing to the front of the group and moving to give her sister a tight hug.

"Is it done?" Drake demanded abruptly.

"Yeah," Faith nodded, slowly pulling away from Kate's embrace. "PK are finished."

"Then let's get to the roof," Drake ordered, moving forward once more. The group navigated tight hallways and climbed rattling stairs before bursting through a doorway at the base of the helicopter pad. Up above Kreeg was circling in the CityEye copter, and when he saw his friends he brought it to land on the pad.

Rushing up towards him, the five people scrambled into the copter and Kreeg wasted no time in ascending once more. Above the powerful roar of the rotors Faith could suddenly hear gunshots, leaning out the side to see a group of PKs opening fire from the top of the stairs. But they were already too far away and the bullets passed by harmlessly. Continuing to watch until the gunshots stopped altogether, Faith slumped back in her seat with a grateful sigh. Turning to her sister, nervously gripping the arm-rests of the seat next to her, she gave a loving smile.

"We made it."


	12. Still Alive

**A/N: Well then, here we are. It's been a lot of fun to write this story, and I hope you've all enjoyed reading it. At this point I'm not sure whether I'll return to the world of Mirror's Edge, or whether it's best to leave things as they are. Only time will tell! Anyway, enjoy the final chapter and let me know what you think! :-)**

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve: Still Alive**

Pirandello awoke in a daze, head throbbing painfully and vision spinning as he dragged himself into a standing position. Looking around he slowly recalled the events which had led to this moment. The fractured window, the bloodied lamp, all evidence of his fight with Amos Connors. But where was the other man now?

Wincing in pain and resting a gentle hand upon the back of his head, Pirandello limped towards the door, only to have his path blocked by a trio of men in dark uniforms. They scrutinised him from behind heavy sunglasses, before one took a pair of handcuffs from his utility belt.

"Arthur Pirandello," he began in a gruff tone, a hint of smug satisfaction underlining his words, "you're under arrest for the murder of Kevin Kruger."

"CPF..." Pirandello said distractedly, still not sure what was happening. He leaned against a nearby wall for support.

"Such a shame for PK to be disbanded like this," another officer spoke up, folding his arms tightly across his chest. The third officer chuckled at the remark, flashing Pirandello an empty smile while the first man moved to fasten the handcuffs around his wrists.

Still dazed and bewildered by rapidly changing events, Pirandello allowed himself to be led from the bedroom and into the hallway, where a pair of forensic investigators were examining a messy blood stain on the far wall. There was also a pool of dark blood on the beige carpet, yet no sign of Kruger's flabby body. Clearly it had already been carted away for an autopsy.

 _I wonder how many people it took to lift him_ , Pirandello thought with a brief smile.

The group made their way to the lift and the security contractor was bundled inside, one of his vigilant captors thumbing the button marked G.

As the lift began its smooth descent one of the other men- Pirandello wasn't sure which one- leaned in close to address him, expression unknown behind his dark glasses.

"You and your kind have made a lot of enemies at CPF," he began, keeping his tone flat. "It would be a shame if something unfortunate were to happen."

* * *

Faith sat atop the roof of Merc's old hideout, swinging her legs idly over the side as she watched the sunrise. This city was waking up to a whole new world, one more chaotic yet more alive than it had known in years. Beside her the radio buzzed with activity, news channels entering a frenzy following the revelations of the previous night. Faith smirked as she thought about the role she'd played in exposing the reality beyond the gloss, and she allowed herself a rare moment of pride.

The radio continued its narration and she listened intently.

 _"Following the leak of classified documents belonging to prominent security contractors Pirandello/Kruger, and detailing historic war crimes in Serdaristan, many of the company's employees have been arrested. Company CEO Arthur Pirandello is among them, currently being charged with the murder of his business partner Kevin Kruger as well as several other PK officers. He is also being interviewed by CPF regarding his actions in Serdaristan, though it is believed Kruger was the mastermind behind these events. Furthermore, City mayor Elaine Callaghan has come under intense scrutiny from both her own party and the opposition regarding her close professional relationship with Pirandello. More on this story as it comes."_

Lowering the radio volume, Faith sipped her coffee and enjoyed the soft breeze as it gently tousled her hair. After all that had happened since that day in Pope's office, she was physically and mentally exhausted and to simply relax was a welcome delight.

"Hey there," a voice called from behind, and Faith turned to see Drake ambling over.

"Hey," she replied, pouring him a second cup of coffee from the flask.

Accepting it readily, the muscular leader of the Runners sat down beside her with a grunt.

"Damn, these old bones are starting to ache," he moaned, Faith taking another sip of coffee to mask her grin. "How are you doing?"

"Good," Faith replied with a nod, knowing that for the first time in too long she genuinely meant it.

"It's going to be a hell of a few weeks," he reflected, gazing out upon the City lit by the warm yellow glow of the morning sun. "Authorities are going to have their hands busy."

"Yeah, Kate and I were thinking of taking a holiday," Faith said as she finished the coffee. "Our father has a cabin up north, and it seems the right time for the family to become reaquianted. Especially now Uncle Amos is back."

"Well, you kids have certainly earned it," Drake agreed, offering a light smile.

"You could come with us, if you want?" she shrugged. "And Kreeg and Miller."

Scratching the back of his thick neck, Drake replied. "Well, I can't speak for Miller, but I need to stay here and organise the other Runner cells. Since PK went on their rampage, our allies have been in disarray and they need someone to assure them. I just wish it didn't have to be me."

He gave a heavy sigh and Faith patted his shoulder lightly, a gesture very unfamiliar to her.

"I know you can handle it, Drake," she assured him.

"Thanks kid. Obviously I'll be needing Kreeg at my side as well, so your family gathering will be just that. Family. I'm sure your dad doesn't want a pair of haggard, cynical old Runners hanging around."

"You might be surprised," she said playfully.

"Another time," Drake responded. "Anyway, I need to be getting back now, but thanks for the coffee."

He rose to his feet and with an easy wave, broke into a jog and disappeared over the edge of the rooftop. Once more Faith was alone, taking a deep breath of the fresh morning air.

* * *

"Glad to have you back, sir," Ramirez cheered as Miller stepped from the lift, wearing a new white suit even more dazzling than the last one.

"Ramirez, thank you for all your help," Miller said, giving his colleague a firm handshake and a solid pat on the back. "You really went above and beyond what was needed."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Ramirez batted the comment away. "I was just glad to play the hero for once."

Miller laughed amiably at the remark and started to walk towards his office, waving at fellow employees as he passed. Some never doubted his integrity for a second, and those who had were softening their attitudes as more and more details of PK's treachery emerged.

"I'm not looking forward to the mountain of paperwork that'll come with arresting hundreds of PKs," Ramirez sighed as Miller stepped through the door of his office. It had been swept clean, but the desk and leather swivel chair were mercifully still intact.

"I'm not excited about the prospect either," Miller agreed. "But the opportunity to really stick it to PK should be enough to keep me going."

"Indeed," Ramirez laughed. "Now, as for all your paperwork, it's currently tied up in PK evidence lockers, and retrieving it all could take a couple of weeks."

"Can't say I'm surprised," Miller admitted.

"But there's a lot of organisation to be done here, since those damn PKs trashed the whole office. You can help if you'd like, sir?"

Miller removed his jacket and hung it neatly on the back of the chair, before rolling up his sleeves and turning back to Ramirez.

"Lead the way," he said with an eager smile.

"Very well."

Miller followed Ramirez back out into the main office, where people were busily carrying boxes of evidence and paperwork, and technicians were valiantly trying to get CPF intranet back online.

Ramirez sat down at his own desk, its wooden surface entirely covered by documents, before beckoning for Miller to sit down opposite. The lieutenant did as instructed, running a hand through his neat white hair as Ramirez passed him a brown box.

"These all need to be catalogued manually," he explained, scooping some coloured sheets into a drawer and reorganising his stationary.

"Not a problem," Miller said, opening the box and carefully removing the stacks of paper bound tightly with string. "You know," he continued, looking up from the work, "I had a conversation with Kate yesterday."

"Oh?" Ramirez enquired, meeting Miller's gaze before quickly glancing back down to mask his blushing.

"We spoke about a conversation you two had several months ago."

"That.. that was, it was, you know, nothing. Just curious and I thought, well, I thought it was better to ask than... not."

"Hmm," Miller said with a smirk. "Anyway, it seems work and family commitments forced her to turn down your initial eloquent offer, but if you asked again then perhaps your luck might change."

Ramirez gave a nervous laugh, vigorously scratching the back of his head while desperately trying to look at anything except Miller.

"She's going on holiday with her sister soon," Miller continued, "but should be back within a week. Of course, what you do with this information is entirely up to you, Ramirez."

A pained silence fell upon the young officer and Miller cruelly allowed it to hang a moment before clearing his throat and starting to untie the documents in front of him.

"Anyway," he said. "Back to cataloguing."

* * *

Elaine Callaghan grabbed her coat and handbag in a desperate rush, the ringing of police sirens drawing rapidly nearer. The press had been hounding her for the last two days, driven beyond all common sense to uncover the truth about her relationship with Arthur Pirandello. And they'd finally found something.

A quick glance out the window confirmed that the police had arrived, and were pouring into the main entrance below.

"Damn CPF," she cursed under her breath.

Not wanting to spend the rest of her days in jail, Callaghan hurried towards the door in her crimson high-heels, stepping outside to find her loyal Pursuit Cops waiting.

"Let's go," she said breathlessy, and the dark pair fell into step beside her as they made their way along the empty hall.

"Be prepared to fight them," she ordered. "Do whatever it takes to get me out of here."

Before Callaghan could reach the lift two gunshots rang out, and her armoured protectors tumbled lifelessly to the floor. Spinning around in alarm, Callaghan saw a slender woman in a white uniform stalking towards her, pistol in hand and primed to fire again.

"You?" the mayor said with confusion. "But..."

"I'm glad we finally get to meet in person," the agent said, a dangerous edge to her words.

"Celeste Wilson," Callaghan recalled. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"What does it look like?" Celeste replied with a shrug, using her free hand to remove the white mask. A blonde ponytail revealed itself and the young woman's striking blue eyes flashed gleefully.

"I'm here to make sure the police get their woman."

"Perhaps you're forgetting that you work for me, Wilson!" Callaghan roared, although there was a lack of conviction in her tone. However much she refused to admit it, Callaghan knew that she had already lost.

"Not anymore," Celeste insisted, walking closer to Callaghan with the gun pointed assuredly at the mayor's head.

"I took a peek at some of those files, and found out about PK's actions in Serdaristan."

"I wouldn't know about that," Callaghan pleaded. "It was that lecherous Kevin Kruger who masterminded those incidents!"

"Don't worry, I know that," Celeste insisted. "You didn't find out about Serdaristan until after the event, at which point you frequently visited the country as a peace envoy, whatever BS that is supposed to be."

Callaghan let her expensive handbag drop to the floor and raised both hands in a placating gesture.

"I was trying to mend fences," she insisted, voice audibly trembling now. No matter how much she willed herself to remain composed, fear was taking Callaghan in its suffocating grip.

"You tried to cover evidence," Celeste retorted, moving even closer so that the muzzle of the gun was now less than a metre from the mayor's head. "And once I caught the scent I did some further digging- PK's computer security is piss poor, by the way- and unearthed _Operation Cherry Blossom_."

Callaghan swallowed the heavy lump rising in her throat.

"You ordered the exile of a dissident PK employee, then used his identity to lure Faith into a trap. Getting her to leave that package at the shopping centre was a neat trick, and I'm guessing the 45 fatalities mean nothing to you?"

Celeste's accusing gaze bored into Callaghan, the mayor finding herself with nowhere to retreat.

"They were necessary casualties," she tried to assert, knowing that the wrong answer could see her with a bullet in the skull. "The dead will be honoured as victims in a righteous war."

"A war? Between you and the Runners?" Celeste enquired with a sneer, her gun unwavering.

"It isn't just the Runners," Callaghan retorted, slightly more confident now. "It's everything they represent."

"That doesn't give you motive to kill innocent people, Callaghan," Celeste said, raising her voice slightly in anger. "This is not the faction I chose to join."

"Innocent people always die in conflict, but at least this is for a worthy cause."

Callaghan balled her hands into fists, holding herself with renewed assurance.

"You genuinely believe that?" Celeste said, slightly taken aback by the mayor's sudden assertiveness.

"It's the one thing I believe more than anything, agent," Callaghan replied, taking a step forward so that the muzzle of the gun was almost touching her forehead. Any sense of doubt or fear she may have felt at Celeste's unexpected arrival had suddenly burned away, replaced by the full crushing weight of her hypnotic presence.

"If this is where I go to prison," she continued defiantly, "then so be it. But every decision I have made, I will defend."

Celeste finally broke eye contact as movement behind the tall woman caught her attention. The lift doors at the end of the hallway slid open and four CPF officers emerged, walking swiftly towards the defeated mayor.

"There is nothing you can say to make me question my motives, agent," Callaghan declared as Celeste finally lowered the gun, holding it tightly by her side.

The pair locked gazes one final time, Celeste's eyes narrow and icy blue, and burning with anger and fierce passion. Callaghan's dazzling green eyes were wide and unblinking, a glimpse into a soul driven by obsessive ambition.

Slowly the two women moved away from each other as the officers approached, one of them brandishing a pair of polished silver handcuffs.

"Elaine Callaghan," he called gruffly, his expression blank behind a pair of dark sunglasses. "You're under arrest for conspiracy to commit terror."

Glancing around once more, Callaghan saw that Celeste was gone, the two dead PKs her only parting gift.

* * *

"Hey, Faith," Kreeg said with a merry smile as the youngest Runner emerged from the ventilation duct. Looking up, she saw Kreeg and Miller sat comfortably on the sofa enjoying cans of beer.

"Hey guys," she replied, brushing dust from her clothes and dragging a chair over to join them.

Reaching into an ice box beside the sofa, Kreeg pulled out a dripping wet beer and tossed it to Faith, who caught it deftly. The metal was cool to the touch, the young woman cracking it open and taking a grateful sip.

"I think it's safe to say we've earned these," she said with a smile.

"My thoughts exactly," Kreeg said, raising his own can as if in a toast.

"So you'll be off soon, I imagine?" Miller enquired. His tie and jacket were resting on the table, and he'd undone both his suit vest and top button. His normally immaculate white hair was tousled and hanging down in a fringe above his eyebrows. It was a startling look for the man who normally maintained his image so precisely, and yet Faith felt at ease with this new Miller. His casual appearance only served to make him more relateable. Likeable, even.

"A couple of hours," Faith replied. "Kate's just packing some things."

"Getting out of this city, at least until the heat dies down, might be just what you girls need," Kreeg declared, tipping his can to try and reach the final few drops.

"Exactly," Miller agreed. "Nothing but paperwork for a while now."

Faith chuckled at the remark, flashing her white teeth slightly in a light grin.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," she said, taking another sip of the cool beer. It was an expensive imported brand, Faith noted with approval. "So, what about you guys?"

"Well," Kreeg began, running a hand across his clean-shaven chin. "Drake's going to keep me busy organising the other Runner cells. It seems some of them sold out to PK once things started to escalate-" He paused a moment and offered Faith the briefest glance, clearly thinking about Celeste.

"-and others disbanded and went into hiding. There's a lot to be done to get our operation running smoothly again."

"I wonder how much longer this city will need the Runners?" Miller spoke up, crushing his empty beer can and tossing it skilfully into the bin, where it landed with a metallic clang.

"Perhaps a few months," Kreeg replied with a shrug. "But until then we can't let our clients down."

"And when that day comes I figure we'll have to get real jobs," Faith sighed, leaning back in the chair and staring up at the damp grey ceiling.

"Well," Kreeg continued, "I'll have you know that I was an electrical fitter before I became a Runner."

"Really?" Faith's eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise.

"That's right," he confirmed with a nod. "I'm a man of many hidden talents."

"So I'm guessing that's where you learnt to beat up PKs, then?" Miller teased, and Kreeg flashed him a look of mock annoyance.

"Something like that," he replied with a hearty laugh. "And what's next for you, Miller?"

"I suppose," Miller began, "I'll try and get back together with my wife."

"How's that going?" Faith asked in a sympathetic tone, her eyes wide and receptive to what Miller had to say.

"We've had... conversations over the last day or so, and I'll admit that it's been a struggle. Although I guess that's to be expected." He gave his friends a weak smile before idly smoothing over a crease in his trousers.

"Overall, I think that maybe... it could work."

"Well then," Kreeg cheered, reaching once more into the ice box. "I'd say that's worth another drink."

* * *

 _"Elaine Callaghan has been charged with masterminding the terrorist attack at the Cherry Blossom Shopping Centre, in which 45 people were killed and a further 67 injured. She has also been charged with aiding and abetting Pirandello/Kruger CEO Arthur Pirandello in covering up evidence of the security contractor's war crimes in Serdaristan. Pirandello, who is currently awaiting trial for the murder of his business partner Kevin Kruger, declined to comment on the matter._

 _Meanwhile, the CPF continues to stabilise the City following the void left by the forced resignation or arrest of every PK officer. CPF Lieutenant John Miller urges calm during this difficult transition period, as many security systems put in place by PK and the Callaghan regime are methodically dismantled._

 _Thousands of people are currently taking to the streets in protest of Pirandello/Kruger's crimes, and the role played by the Callaghan administration, demanding the guilty parties all face swift justice. At this time the protests are peaceful and orderly, with Lieutenant Miller requesting that they remain so. He has also stated that he respects and fully acknowledges the people's right to such protests."_

Amos turned off the radio as he continued driving, the battered old pick-up bouncing over gravel tracks and dirt paths.

"I think we've heard enough of that for now," he said, casting a glance at his two nieces in the back. "Besides, we all know the story. Callaghan and PK are getting what they deserve, the citizens are finally standing up for their rights, and we helped save the city."

"Don't let it go to your head, uncle," Kate teased, flashing a playful smile that Amos caught in the rear-view mirror.

"Oh, it's too late for that, Kate," he replied with a dismissive wave, the pair breaking into soft laughter.

Faith was busy looking out the window at the dense woodland beyond, a content expression on her face.

"You okay, Faith?" Kate enquired from the neighbouring seat, giving her sister a light pat on the arm.

"Hmm?" Faith said, coming out of her reverie and turning to the other woman.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," she replied with a smile. Normally such an assurance would not convince the youngest Connors sibling, but for once Faith's smile radiated a genuine contentment, rather than a thinly-masked weariness, and Kate believed her sister's words.

"I'm glad," she responded warmly.

"Almost there," Amos called from the driver's seat, and all at once they emerged in a clearing with the track leading straight towards the Connors family cabin. It was made from dark wood, with wide glass windows and a stone chimney, and had been lovingly maintained by Abraham. Clearly he'd held onto the belief that his family would return here one day.

As they approached the cabin a slender man emerged from the front door, walking across the porch and down the steps to greet them. His short black hair was shot through with grey, and he wore a light blue polo shirt and loose beige pants. He gave a small wave as Amos parked the car, the engine rattling slowly into silence.

The three people climbed from the ageing pick-up, feet making contact with the dirty ground, and together they walked side-by-side to join Abraham.

"Good to see you all," he said awkwardly from where he stood.

"Hey dad," Kate said in a fairly relaxed, yet slightly nervous tone.

"Kate," Abraham said with a smile, taking his daughter in a tight hug with little hesitation. Then he stepped back and turned to Faith, swallowing thickly.

"Hey Faith," he said, rubbing his neck awkwardly and struggling to meet her timid gaze. "Glad you could come."

"Well, I'm... glad to be here," she managed, idly sweeping her foot through the dirt. The pair willed themselves to make eye contact, and when they did each person's lips curled upwards into a smile. Slowly they moved into a hug, gentle at first, but stronger as father and daughter found confidence in each other's presence.

Eventually Abraham took a step back and turned to the third member of their party, his gentle expression suddenly becoming hard. Amos held his ground, meeting his brother with a grim yet weary expression of his own. Faith and Kate could only watch with nervous anticipation as the stand-off continued, neither man yielding an inch. And then, all at once, the tension vanished and the two men took each other in a heart-felt embrace, the rift between them finally over.

As they stepped back Faith could see they both had tears in their eyes, and were grinning madly.

"Come on," Abraham said as he wiped away the tears with the back of his hand. "Let's get inside and have some lunch."

Resting a hand on his brother's shoulder, Abraham led the way inside, Kate following close behind. She stopped, however, when she realised that Faith was not beside her, but rather staring out at the fields and trees beyond.

"Faith," she said, walking back to join her sister. "What's wrong?"

"This place," Faith began, sounding more at peace than she had in a very long time. "It's so beautiful."

"It really is," Kate agreed, staring out at the yellow flowers and the grass billowing softly in the breeze, surrounded on all sides by ancient leafy trees illuminated by the dazzling sun in a clear blue sky. The perfect tranquil setting.

"You could always stay out here, if you wanted," Kate declared. "I'm sure you'll find enough to keep you busy."

"No thanks," Faith declined with a gentle smile. "This place is beautiful, but I've realised lately that there's a lot of beauty to find in the City as well. And I'm not sure I want to leave it behind."

"Well, I'd certainly be glad if you stayed in the City. I'd miss you, Faith." Slowly Kate took hold of her sister's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, the elder sibling returning the gesture. "So, what'll you do when we get back?" she asked.

"I suppose," Faith reflected, casting her gaze towards the sky, "I could become a police officer. As long as I get to run."

"I'm sure that could be arranged," Kate laughed. "With everything that's coming, we'll be needing more police officers."

"Yeah," Faith agreed, and they stood in contented silence a moment, savouring the beauty of nature.

"Well then," Faith spoke up eventually. "I guess we should head inside."

With that, the sisters turned, hand in hand, and strolled towards the house.


End file.
